Melded Magic
by killashandra16
Summary: Tom apparated to the Hogwarts courtyard after receiving an alert from the Founder's wards. Looking around, he spotted a girl, bloody and dirty, laying several feet away. As he approached, his magic began to hum, centering on a small box in her hand. When he touched it, the wards melted away in recognition of him. Who was this girl?
1. Chapter 1

Kaylee threw herself to the ground, the curse passing inches away from her head. _That was close_ , she thought. She could have sworn she saw Hermione and Ron running past but she had to stay focused on her surroundings. The man she was dueling was quick on his feet, casting continuously at a speed she was hard pressed to keep up with. Despite her good grades and steady improvement in dueling, she was still young and hadn't the experience the Death Eaters she was fighting had honed over the years. As she threw up a shield, she couldn't help but have a brief thought of admiration for Lord Voldemort, he had taught his people well. She shook off the thought and focused on the duel.

"Little girl, you are way out of your depth. Leave now before you regret it." He rasped, even as he threw a dark curse at her she didn't even recognize. She wished she had the eidetic memory of Hermione, she was quickly running out of spells she knew. Before he could throw another, her eyes caught the duel behind him and she couldn't help pausing to watch. Luckily, her attacker and pretty much everyone in the courtyard as well, turned to the scene. Harry and Voldemort were locked in a vicious duel that drew every eye.

Kaylee could see Harry was using all his strengths in Defense to keep the Dark Lord at bay but she could see the strain, and slight fear, that were in his eyes. Voldemort himself looked slightly peeved at his opponent but not worried which Kaylee took to be a bad sign. This was the first chance she had had to get a close look at the man that featured in many people's nightmares. Harry's description of Voldemort was accurate; grey skin, no nose…but Kaylee thought he missed a crucial part. There was still an element of humanity that was obvious if someone looked closely enough. She could not help but be impressed at the Dark Lord's dueling capabilities. She knew that he was powerful but to see it up close, she wondered how anyone could doubt he wouldn't get what he wanted.

Drawing out of her contemplation of the enemy, she heard Harry make a last ditch effort to shake Voldemort's equilibrium,

"We destroyed your Horcruxes Riddle. You are mortal!"

Kaylee glanced to her side. Luna had stepped up next to her.

"I don't think it is going to end here tonight" she said quietly.

Over the years, Kaylee had learned to trust her friend's instincts. In this particular instance, she really wished her friend was wrong though. She couldn't bear the thought of more battles and fighting.

"What do you mean?" Kaylee asked.

She turned to look at Kaylee, her blue eyes sad yet hopeful at the same time.

"I'm not sure but something is about to change and I think you are a part of it."

"Me?!" She gasped. Before she could get another word out, the duel took a drastic turn. Voldemort broke off his attack and put up a shield between himself and Harry, the likes of which Kaylee had never seen. He turned quickly until he made eye contact…with _**her**_. Before anyone could react, he turned into that black mist only Death Eaters could conjure and then reappeared right in front of her. Between one breath and the next, he had thrust something into her hand at her side, touched her forehead, and whispered something she couldn't quite catch. As the darkness claimed her, all she could remember were bright red eyes boring into her own…

Distantly, she heard voices talking around her. She was so tired though, trying to decipher what they were saying was beyond her at the moment. Being a practical person, she stopped trying and focused on at least opening her eyes to take into account her surroundings. This proved equally difficult but she persevered until she was able to blink slowly and take stock of where she was. It looked like the Hogwarts Hospital Wing…yet it looked different. Curious. Turning her head slowly, she took in the man at her side.

Auburn hair and beard, blue eyes with laugh line around them…that wasn't possible.

"Who are you?" she asked shakily. He looked remarkably similar to pictures of Albus Dumbledore in his younger years. But that was impossible; he had died almost a year ago.

"My name is Albus Dumbledore Miss…" He left off, giving her the chance to fill in the name.

She gaped. What was going on?! Her memory before waking was slowly clearing but it didn't provide answers to her unless…

"Am I dead?" she asked bewilderedly. That was the only explanation for what she was seeing.

"Of course not, my dear. We found you unconscious in the courtyard and brought you to the hospital wing immediately due to your injuries. Although how you managed to get through the wards…" he trailed off, looking at her closely.

She thought furiously, what was going on? If she wasn't dead, then the next logical step would be…

"Sir, this might sound strange but…what is the date?" she asked tremulously, hoping to God she was drawing the wrong conclusion.

His blue eyes sharpened, "September 16, 1945."

Kaylee's mind whirled. That over 50 years! Unbidden, her last moments before falling unconscious flitted through her mind. Lord Voldemort seeking her out, putting something in her hand, touching her…he must be the cause! But how?! Even time turners could only go back so many hours and she didn't have one, Hermione had told her they were more trouble than they were worth when she inquired about them back in third year. Wait…he had put something in her hand. She looked up into Dumbledore's eyes and she could see he had drawn the correct conclusion because he was already casting a strong privacy bubble to ensure their conversation wasn't overheard by the matron in the corner.

"How far did you come?" He asked, his eyes were sharp and focused on her green ones.

"Over 50 years." She said faintly. "There was something in my hand when I was transported, do you know where it went?"

He shook his head, "There was nothing in your hands. Do you think this object is the cause of your travels?"

"I don't know. There is nothing in my time that could make this kind of time jump but it was the last thing I remember before I came here so I thought it would be a clue."

He looked contemplative, she could see his mind whirring at a faster pace than she could ever achieve. She tried to remember what the object felt like but drew a blank.

"I might be grasping at straws sir. There was so much going on in that moment, I'm still trying to make sense of it all."

His eyes gentled as he met hers again.

"Understandable, my dear. How about we revisit this topic after you have had a chance to rest." His eyes held the familiar twinkle that she remembered.

"Since we don't have any leads, what should I do?" she asked.

"Well, the school year has just begun, according to the matron, she aged you at 17 correct?" he asked.

"Yes, I was the youngest in my year. Due to…certain circumstances…I was not able to complete my seventh year."

"Well, that simplifies things," he smiled "Tomorrow I will take you to Headmaster Dippet and we'll get you sorted into a house. Education is important after all." He said with a small chuckle.

She smiled. "The familiarity of school will definitely be welcome after the last year. I assume I should not use my last name?"

He looked contemplative. "I believe it would be better if you don't, we don't know how long you will be here but trying to preserve the timeline is paramount. I hate to ask, but considering the times we are in…are you muggleborn?"

She sighed; of course, this was also a tumultuous time in history. She couldn't catch a break in that regard could she. "Yes sir."

"I see. To be on the safe side, I think it would be better for you to pose as a half-blood…I have a cousin who disappeared to the continent a number of years ago. I don't know what happened to her but she could provide a nice cover story for you. Her last name was Jones I believe. We will say that you were caught in the conflict after she passed and you came here to be with the last of your family. We can work out the specifics later, but right now I believe you need rest my dear."

She nodded and he released the bubble around them. The matron immediately approached and asked Dumbledore, "Is everything alright? She should really be resting after healing that extensive," giving Kaylee a small smile.

"Everything is fine Alfie. I was just reacquainting myself with my cousin here" he grinned at her "she has had a difficult time after losing her mother on the continent."

The matron stiffened and sent a sad look to Kaylee. "You poor thing." She said. "It's good that you came then, Hogwarts will be a safe haven of rest for you." She handed Kaylee a potion vial. "Drink up dear; it's a pain potion with a little Dreamless Sleep to help you rest tonight." She gave another small smile and walked back to her office.

Dumbledore got up from his chair. "I will see you in the morning, cousin."

With a small laugh, Kaylee drank the potion. As she lay down, her mind kept going over what had happened. The potion slowed her thoughts quickly however and she drifted off.


	2. Chapter 2

The next morning found her walking the familiar halls next to Dumbledore as they headed to the Headmaster's office. _Not much changes here_ , she thought amusedly. The moving paintings looked at the pair in curiosity and she knew that word of her arrival would spread quickly.

"Gossips" she muttered under her breath.

"They are at that," Dumbledore said laughingly, "Headmaster Dippet is strict in many ways but he also cares greatly for his students. As long as you follow the rules, you shouldn't have much of a problem with him."

As they waited for the griffin to turn, she started seeing students walking down the halls to breakfast. The uniforms were a little more conservative than in her time but still familiar. As she walked up the stairs, she started to grow nervous. Sorting…again. That was the worst few minutes of her life at the time. Having an ancient artifact rifle through your head, examining everything…she just hoped she could convince it to remain in her previous house of Ravenclaw.

She had never been in Headmaster Dumbledore's office, but Harry had described it offhandedly over the years. Dippet was obviously nothing like Harry's description however. The room was simple and clean, that was pretty much all she could think of to describe it. A simple wooden desk, bookshelves along the walls with no knickknacks of any kind. The man himself had grey hair and a mid length grey beard but there was no twinkle in those brown eyes. The most she could say was at least he looked decently polite and somewhat kind.

"Miss Jones! I hope you are feeling better my dear; you gave us all quite a fright when you popped in last night! And then to have Albus say you are his long lost cousin, well! We are just so glad to have you safe and sound here at Hogwarts with Albus to look after you!"

Well, she thought, he may not look like much but was sure an effusive talker. After such a dialogue, she didn't quite know how to respond to him but she tried to do her best.

"Thank you sir," she said quietly "It will be nice to be somewhere safe for a while. And have someone like Professor Dumbledore to look after me." She hoped that was a decent enough reply, she had never been one to talk incessantly.

"Splendid! Splendid! Well, let's get you sorted then shall we?" With that, she was guided over to a chair in front of the desk and promptly had the hat thrust on her head with little warning.

 _"A time-traveler, interesting. I haven't seen one of these in quite a while. You were sorted in Ravenclaw before, hmmm…but much has happened to you since then. You are too driven for Hufflepuff…but I don't think quite cunning enough to survive in Slytherin…"_

 _"Please no"_ she thought _"I would like to be back in Ravenclaw, it's where I belong. Please give me some comfort in a time not my own."_ She hoped an emotional appeal would help sway the hat.

It chuckled in her head. _"Maybe I was too hasty in saying you weren't cunning enough, but I believe you will do well there still…RAVENCLAW!"_

Kaylee's shoulders slumped. Thank God, it saw right through her ploy but allowed it all the same.

"Excellent!" Dippet said as he took the hat off her head. "Professor Beery will be your head of house; he will take good care of you."

Dumbledore smiled at her encouragingly. "Thank you sir, Ravenclaw sounds like a good fit for me."

A knock sounded at the door and a student walked into the office. "Sir, you asked to see me?" He glanced at her curiously but returned his attention to the headmaster before she could make sense of it.

"Yes my dear boy. This here is Professor Dumbledore's cousin, Miss Jones. She will be a seventh year here and I thought you could show her around the school since her schedule is the same as yours." Dippet turned to her, "This is Tom Riddle our Head Boy. He will be an excellent guide for you!"

Her mind blanked. Tom Riddle…Voldemort. Oh. My. God. How did she not connect that piece of information to the year she was in?! Based on the looks of Dumbledore and Riddle's faces, her face must be showing her emotions plainly. She cleared her throat as she felt the blush suffuse her face.

"It's nice to meet you Mr. Riddle," she said as evenly as she could. "I would be grateful for your assistance." She could tell she didn't fool either man but Headmaster Dippet took her words in stride and ushered the two students out of the office saying, "Splendid my dear, Tom will take good care of you, best student in the school! Best of luck today my dear, good day Tom!"

She barely had time to meet Dumbledore's eyes before the door closed. Hesitantly, she turned to her companion. He was examining her closely but what he was looking for she hadn't a clue. Feeling the moment become awkward she asked quietly, "Where to?"

Instead of replying, he turned and began to walk down the stairs. Hastening to follow, she fell into step with him when they reached the ground.

"Since you have the same schedule, the first class today is Transfiguration." Riddle said as he walked at a brisk pace. Trying to keep up with him, Kaylee didn't respond but nodded at him as they swept down to towards the classroom. Although difficult considering his pace, she was able to glance at him periodically to get a better look. In short, he was gorgeous. Soft brown hair, dark eyes, tall…everything a woman would want. How this man became the creature he becomes was hard to picture. It was unsettling trying to contemplate the two images so Kaylee pushed the comparison to the back of her mind. She had to remain vigilant around him and off his radar. The last thing she needed was for young Lord Voldemort to become interested in her.

Little did she know, the same man was also scrutinizing her. Tom looked down at his companion several times on their walk. She was incredibly small, barely coming to his chest. Her dark brown hair was now free of tangles and was braided down her back. Last night, when he had found her, she had looked close to death, blood and dirt everywhere. The two images were hard to reconcile but he could still see similarities. She may be cleaner but she was still incredibly skinny, like she hadn't had a good meal in months, and her eyes had a slightly haunted expression that didn't belong on her young face. When he had been alerted to her presence through the founder's wards, he immediately sought her out before the headmaster could arrive. The girl had been lying in the courtyard, passed out with blood everywhere. In her hand she had clutched a small box that had hummed as he reached for it. He could sense the wards surrounding it fall away as he touched it and knew it was meant for him to find. He had quickly pocketed the item and apparated back to his room before the headmaster found him. He had been able to open the box rather easily but the note inside had been blank. None of the detection charms he had tried reveled anything but he would work it out eventually. He always did.

Which brought him back to the girl at his side. Why would someone send him a note clutched in her hand? He had a suspicion that she would be the key to finding out what was on the piece of parchment but would observe how things played out for now. She was a quiet little thing, had barely spoken to him after her initial shock at seeing him in Dippet's office. She kept her eyes averted too, most likely in the hope he would dismiss her from his attention. Foolish girl, his interest was piqued after discovering the box.

They reached the Transfiguration classroom right as class was about to start so Riddle guided her to a table where he knew the last empty was. After a curt nod in her direction, he swept to the back of the room next to Abraxas Malfoy. He glanced at his blond follower, giving him a nod that alerted him he wanted a meeting set up for tonight. After confirmation his message was received, Tom turned his attention to his largest annoyance, Dumbledore.

Kaylee pulled out a piece of parchment from her bag along with a quill and some ink, ready to take notes like Professor McGonagall preferred. To her surprise, Dumbledore asked everyone to pull out nothing but a quill; they would begin instruction on transfiguring inanimate objects to living organisms. Apparently, he preferred a more hands on method than she was used to because after a quick demonstration on the wand movement and incantation, he released them for practice. Kaylee made a mental note to read up on lessons thoroughly before classes.

Luckily, Transfiguration was an area that came easier to her than other classes. Her thoughts often coincided with how a caster was supposed to approach the subject rather than areas that require a more creative approach to be truly successful. Releasing some of the restraints she placed on her magic, she closed her eyes and focused on every aspect of what a dove essentially was. After gaining a firm grip on the image, she opened her eyes and cast. The dove was smaller than she pictured but she supposed the spell was successful when the bird turned its head to observe her and began flapping its wings.

"Well done Miss Jones!" Dumbledore's voice broke through her examination of the bird and she looked up to see her professor standing in front of her. "A bit smaller than normal but excellent for a first try, 15 points for Ravenclaw." With a bright smile, he moved to the next table to give some pointers.

A glance in Tom Riddle's direction showed he had achieved the spell correctly as well. _Figures_ , she thought. It's going to be like keeping up with Hermione in classes. Seeing his bored expression start to turn in her direction, she turned quickly to her tablemate. She had to do a double take; the boy next to her had a strong resemblance to Harry. Tall, brown messy hair, and a Gryffindor tie. She had a strong suspicion he was a Potter. Before she could finish her observations, the boy in question turned to her with a big smile.

"Hey, you must be the transfer! I'm Charlus Potter. You're Miss Jones right?"

"Please call me Kaylee, it's nice to meet you Mr. Potter," she said with a smile of her own.

"Charlus please! Gryffindors aren't stuffy and formal like other houses," he said with a mocking grin to the Slytherins across the aisle.

She giggled. "Would you like some help?" She asked as she looked at his quill that had a dove's head and feet but nothing else resembling a bird.

He looked down in chagrin. "This is not my subject, I'm more of a hands on kinda guy…like Quidditch or magical creatures. Still don't know how I made it into NEWT level for this class but sure, any help is appreciated." He looked at her dove hopping around. "Looks like you could give Riddle a run for his money."

A short glance in said boy's direction had her hastily looking back to her tablemate. "His is much better than mine but I think I know where you went wrong." She waved her wand and turned his quill back to its original form. "Could you do the movement and cantation again but separately?"

After she watched him closely she said, "You have both of those right so it must be the intent you're not quite getting." At his confused look she asked, "Hasn't Professor Dumbledore taught you guys about intent behind your spells?"

Before Charlus replied, Tom broke into their conversation. "He has since first year. Mr. Potter however has a hard time paying attention in any class."

Charlus glared at Tom. "Everyone has their strengths and weaknesses Riddle. Mine might be Transfiguration but I can think of a few areas you need improvement on too."

Kaylee saw other students becoming interested in their conversation, especially the young men sitting near Tom's table. Probably his earlier followers, she thought chagrined. So much for staying under his notice.

She cleared her throat to turn Charlus' attention back to her before the situation got worse. "Let's focus on the spell please?" She tried for an even tone but she could tell it came out a little forced. Tom raised his eyebrow at her but sat back down and Charlus looked apologetically at her.

"Sorry Kaylee, what would you have me do?"

"How about I tell you how I approach a new spell and see if that works for you?" When she got a nod, she continued. "Close your eyes. Now, picture your quill. Since you handle them constantly, it should be easier to picture everything you know about them."

"Easy enough. We had to do that when we started the class."

"Right," she said "but now you need to picture a dove which has more depth to it because it's alive. You can't just have a picture of it; you need to be able to…feel it for lack of a better word. Picture the dove flying. You should be able to feel wind flowing through its feathers, blood pumping through the heart, muscles moving…" she trailed off watching Charlus closely.

His eyes were scrunched tight but she could see he was thinking about what she said.

"Once you have the image in your mind, do the wand movement and cantation without opening your eyes."

After a few more seconds, he waved his wand and opened his eyes. A dove about the same size as hers was sitting on the table.

She smiled. "See! You can do it, just need to slow down the process a little."

Charlus turned to her with a grin. "That was brilliant! I've never thought about a spell like that before!"

"It's a slower way than most do but it allows you to really feel the intent behind a spell, it takes a lot of patience sometimes." She could tell Charlus wasn't the type to do this constantly but maybe if he was stuck in the future, he might try it again.

Tom studied the little witch as class ended. Her explanation showed she put a lot of thought behind her casting although he did not think it was to make up for lack of power. He could feel the moment she began the process of attempting the spell. The shift in her magic was almost palpable in the room, not that anyone else would notice. Her magic resonated with his own and if he had allowed it, would have tried to join with hers in an instant. This had never happened before and would require some deep thought on why he was responding that way to her. Because of the connection, he could also sense she was holding back considerably but he had no idea why.

By the end of the day, Kaylee was relieved to be shown to her bed in Ravenclaw Tower. Although the routine of school was comfortable in its familiarity, trying to avoid Tom Riddle's notice while adjusting to the new time had been exhausting. She missed Luna terribly with an ache in her heart as she got ready for bed. Her friend had been by her side since second year when Luna came to Hogwarts. Through all the bullying and trying times until this last year, Luna had been a constant source of comfort and friendship and she felt the lack keenly. As she drifted off to sleep, she hoped that since she couldn't have her friend, she could avoid the bullying that had plagued her school years since the very beginning.


	3. Chapter 3

The first month passed quickly for Kaylee. Her roommates, Olivia Hornby and Lyla Boot, were nice enough but were more interested in their studies than in making friends. Few women made it to seventh year she found out during this time due to marriage contracts or the old fashioned belief women didn't need schooling to tend house. Because of this, most of her classes were male dominated and consisted of all four houses due to the decreased class sizes by this stage in their education. Kaylee tried not to let this bother her since she knew that particular worldview diminished over time but it was still an adjustment. Especially since the boys, mainly in Ravenclaw and Slytherin, had a tendency to dismiss her because of her gender.

She did have some friendly acquaintances in the other two houses including Charlus Potter and his gang of rowdy Gryffindors. An interesting friendship developed between herself and Dorea Black, who was a seventh year Slytherin. Kaylee didn't know how she had avoided a marriage contract yet considering she was a Black but was grateful to have a study partner that didn't see her as inferior because of her blood status. The hardest adjustment came from the direction of the ever present Tom Riddle. He watched her constantly in class and in the library where he was surrounded by his followers. As hard as she tried to avoid his attention, whenever she looked in his direction, she would meet his cool gaze and would avert her eyes quickly.

The worst part of her weeks was Potions class where she constantly bickered with her tablemate. Due to her high performance, Professor Slughorn had moved her to his "high table" in the front where his best students sat. And of course, Tom Riddle would be her partner.

"The directions state you need to cut not crush the bean," Tom stated looking down from his greater height.

"This way is easier and will produce the same results," she shot back annoyed. This had been going on for weeks and she was tired of arguing. She was used to working quietly on her own especially since Professor Snape had demanded silence in his classroom. Having someone constantly question her methods made it hard to concentrate in her most difficult class.

"And where did you get this idea? Or are you a Potions Master in disguise who is unwilling to bestow her greater knowledge to the rest of us?" Tom asked in an irritated voice.

Instead of responding, Kaylee focused on her potion which just irritated her tablemate more. At the end of the lesson when both their potions received accolades from Professor Slughorn, she shot Tom a smug grin as she packed up her materials. His scowl was worth any retaliation she thought gleefully.

"Miss Jones, would you be interested in attending my first social of the season on Halloween? I believe you would find those who attend hold highly esteemed positions in our world," Professor Slughorn asked as she was picking up her satchel.

Kaylee was somewhat surprised because he had never extended the invitation during her time. Maybe the fact that so few females made it to NEWT level brought her to his attention this time around.

"I would love to Professor," she said quietly but with a smile that he returned.

"Excellent! You are welcome to bring a guest or perhaps Mr. Riddle here would like to escort you?" he asked of Tom who was watching the exchange.

A strange light entered Tom's eyes as he replied, "I would be honored to escort Miss Jones." His expression had the expectant look of someone who was used to being obeyed. She realized although it sounded like a request, he had meant it as a command to her. Her stomach sank. There was no way she could refuse in front of the Professor without it seeming rude and since she had just been invited, no one would have asked her yet.

"I would be honored," she said softly, while shooting Tom a look that said she knew what he had done. A small smirk had graced his face and he offered his arm to her.

"Perhaps we can discuss the particulars on the way to lunch?" He slid her book bag off her shoulder and put it on his own before leading her out of the classroom. As soon as the door closed, she tried to pull her arm out of his but the flexing of his muscles prevented her.

"What's the matter pet? Most women enjoy a man who will carry her bag and offer his arm," he said with a smirk in her direction as they continued walking to the Great Hall.

"Just because you coerced me into going with you to the Halloween party doesn't mean I want to be seen arm in arm with you around the halls. The other students will get the wrong impression of us," she said heatedly.

"If the impression is that I have expressed interest you that warns off other suitors, I am perfectly content with the situation," he stated as he pulled open the door to the Great Hall. Before she could retort, he guided her over to the Ravenclaw table and set her bag on the ground. After a small kiss to her cheek, he strode away. She couldn't contain the blush spreading across her cheeks as her housemates turned their gazes on her. Darn him anyways.

Tom was feeling extremely satisfied as he headed to the meeting with his followers that night. His actions at lunch put others on notice that he had taken an interest in the girl. Although he wasn't naive enough to believe it would stop Potter from following her around, most of the other males in the school would not step out of place. The Chamber of Secrets always brought a sense of pride knowing he alone was worthy to grace its halls. His followers were all kneeling and dressed appropriately for the meeting as he strolled to the front of the formation.

"Rise my knights. Is there any news from your families that you would like to share with me?" he asked already knowing several pieces of important information. If they didn't relay the tidbits to him tonight, he would have to reprimand the guilty parties. Luckily for his followers, each member dutifully reported what they had heard or discovered per his instructions and were able to escape punishment for the time being. Being in a good mood, he instructed his knights to break into pairs and practice dueling. He stalked between the pairs offering corrections through burning or slicing hexes when shields did not come up quickly enough for him. Each knight received at least one bout of Crucio for a poor display of a curse. Tom knew this would encourage them to practice during their own time instead of wasting his. After an hour of practice he called them back together.

"One last instruction before you're dismissed. I have taken an interest in Miss Jones after her mysterious arrival. Needless to say, if anything negative should happen to befall her before my interest is complete, I will be very displeased."

His followers did shift at that. They all knew his displeasure meant long torture sessions for them. Tom could see his point was made.

"You will inform me if anything happens with her out of the ordinary and will summon me immediately. Dolohov, McNair; stay after, the rest of you can go." The two mentioned stayed in place as the rest filed out quietly.

"Rise my knights." Once they were standing he continued. "You two will tail Miss Jones without her knowledge so I can get a sense of her schedule. I will be extremely displeased if I find her alone at any time. Do you understand?"

Both men kept a straight face and nodded in understanding. Tom knew these two would be the most discreet of his followers. Although Dolohov had a strong dislike of Muggleborns, Tom knew he was also one of his few knights that craved the knowledge of Dark Arts that Tom could provide which kept him in line.

Later that night, Tom sat in his room studying the note that Miss Jones had brought him again. Reaching out with his magic, he delicately probed for anything out of the ordinary. There! He felt a nudge against his magic and he pushed back harder. A word began to appear.

Voldemort

His name appeared in his own handwriting before it disappeared again.

Another line formed underneath where his name had been.

Use her blood.

That too faded away.

He sat back. Tom didn't believe that could be the whole message. Therefore, he needed her blood to reveal the rest. Maybe during his quest to gather her blood, he could get a peek into that mysterious mind of hers. Looking back at the note, he contemplated on the handwriting being his. His breath hitched, could _**he**_ have sent the note, and Miss Jones, to himself? Was she in fact sent from himself in the future? The possibility was exciting in that he conquered time travel and what the implications of her presence could mean for both his present and future. His mind whirled with the idea. Yes, Miss Jones was turning out to be very interesting indeed.


	4. Chapter 4

Kaylee banged her head lightly on the library table Friday afternoon. Dorea looked on as her friend moaned about the events yesterday.

"The nerve of the man! He set it up so I would be grilled for the rest of the day on your relationship! As if I would date him!" Kaylee laid her head down. Why was he doing this? She had been trying so hard to blend in with the other girls, just because she didn't fall over herself when he came in the room shouldn't have meant he would take such a strong interest in her.

"He has never shown interest in a girl before, Kaylee. I don't particularly see what most girls see in him but you should take this as a positive development. Obviously he sees something in you that intrigues him enough to warn off other suitors." Dorea was concerned for her friend despite her encouraging words. Tom Riddle was charismatic but he had a darkness to him that made her wary around him. Her new friend could hold her own but Kaylee was definitely naive when it came to men.

"I don't want to date him! He's…"she trailed off. How to articulate her feelings regarding Tom without explaining her past with him? "He makes me nervous. I can sense something in him…a darkness…that makes me uncomfortable. But I don't know how to discourage his interest," she finished softly.

Dorea sighed. Her friend was stuck in a hard place. After his actions yesterday, most of the students would step back from any association with her to ensure Riddle wouldn't take their actions in a negative light. "I will be going to the party as well. Charlus Potter approached me this morning to ask me, I will be there if you need an escape from your date." It was the best she could do under the circumstances. Potter was a strong wizard, he would assist her in any way to help is friend if need be.

Kaylee looked up. "Charlus asked you?" She smiled. They would be a good fit; he was a fun, care free guy that would help loosen Dorea up. "That's wonderful Dorea."

Dorea smiled. "I admit, I was surprised but was happy to accept. I have always liked him despite his slacking in off in classes." She looked at her friend again, seeing the strain around her eyes. "Are you going to Hogsmeade tomorrow? I think an outing would do you good. I could meet you at the castle entrance around 1?"

Kaylee smiled. "That sounds lovely. Since I will be attending the Halloween party I should probably pick up something nice to wear. Most of my clothes are too casual for such an event."

Tom entered the bookshop in Hogsmeade after spotting Kaylee and Black entering the clothing shop. He spotted Doholov around the corner, good, he's doing his duty then. Heading to the back, he began perusing the Dark Arts section for anything that caught his eye. Although the Hogwarts library had a decent Restricted Section, some subjects were severely lacking. Grabbing a couple on blood magic he began to move on when his magic hummed softly. Stopping he allowed it to seek out what was causing the disturbance. A small sliver book was nestled in the rear of the shop. Pulling it out, his magic surged towards it in what he could determine as recognition. Turning it over he read the title, Ancient Bondings. Interesting. He had researched dark bonds in the past to see what could be useful in the future but had never been interested in other types. The opposite sex had not particularly attracted him like his peers other than to make powerful connections in the wizarding world. He mostly saw women as a means to make connections between families but nothing that would pertain to himself personally. Thinking of the elusive Miss Jones and the note however, something in here might open up possibilities in acquiring her. After his discovery two nights ago, he determined that she would be a significant asset to his cause, considering her knowledge of the future and the importance his future self placed on her. He took the book along with the others he collected on the checkout stand to buy.

After shrinking his purchases, he headed into the Three Broomsticks to meet with Malfoy and his potential fiancée. The man had gone through several women over the last year trying to find one he found acceptable. It was a tiring endeavor but appearing to be interested in his follower's personal life had allowed him to make connections to the fathers of the women. As he sat down, he saw Dolohov slip through the door with a tilt of his head to the left. Ah, the two women had taken up seats with Potter and his gang. Irritation laced through him. He disliked the attention Kaylee received from the Gryffindors but until he had her under his thumb, he would allow it for now. It helped the Potter's attentions were fixated on Black. Tom had heard from Malfoy that Potter had asked her to Slughorn's Halloween party. He was curious how her family would receive the news; the two families had been at odds for years.

"Tom, I would like to introduce you to Lydia Lestrange." Tom took the lady's hand and kissed it gently.

"Lovely to meet you Ms. Lestrange. Tell me, how are your parents? I had the pleasure of meeting you father a few months back." He smiled charmingly. Yes, her father had taken an instant liking to him, a good connection indeed. Tom nodded at Abraxas subtly; she would be a good connection. Seeing that his message was received, he motioned them to sit as she answered him.

"They are well Mr. Riddle, thank you." She had the haughty air of most purebloods but had a gentleness to her tone that Tom thought would suit Malfoy. He glanced at Abraxas; he could see the young man was taken with her. This girl might work out for him if the parents agreed to a marriage contract. Tom drew back as Abraxas and the Lestrange girl continued in conversation while he searched out Kaylee again. He could see that although she enjoyed the company around her, she had a quietness about her that didn't allow her to fully integrate. So much the better, he thought. It will make things easier when he takes control of her social life in the near future. He pondered when a good time to start would be as he watched her leave with the group.

The Halloween party arrived faster than Kaylee would have liked but she was comforted in the knowledge Dorea and Charlus would keep an eye on her during her date with Tom. The thought of him made her stomach clench. During the last few weeks, his attentions had drawn more notice and increased steadily. She would have liked to ask for Dumbledore's advice but he was increasingly drawn away from Hogwarts due to the conflict with Grindlewald. Kaylee knew this was an important time for him and needed to focus but she couldn't help feeling a little abandoned considering Dumbledore was the only person she could talk to somewhat freely. The last time she met with him, he had pretty much told her as long as no one found out about her circumstances, she should deal with things on her own. Surprisingly, Professor Kettleburn had noticed her interacting with the Thestrals and had taken her under his wing. She had spent many afternoons with him assisting with various creatures. Kaylee remembered Hagrid speaking fondly of his predecessor although she could see the reckless behavior Hagrid had mentioned during some of their sessions.

As Dorea and her got ready for the party, she looked at herself in the mirror critically.

"I still don't know if green was the right choice…or the cut," she said with a blush. The dress was a dark green that showed a little more cleavage than she would have liked. The saleswoman and Dorea thought the dress enhanced the color of her eyes while accentuating her features nicely. Despite her initial protests, somehow she had been bullied into buying the dress.

Dorea looked over as she slid on her dark red dress. "You look great and you know it. The cut shows your figure off well, considering you are so skinny that was hard to do." Dorea gave her a mock glare. "I cannot believe you started running in the morning because you thought you were getting fat! There isn't an ounce of it anywhere on you!"

Kaylee laughed. "I like to stay in shape. Plus, it helps with endurance when you are in a duel." She grimaced internally. She had given that reason to Dorea when she had asked for a reason but honestly, it had helped release some jitters she had been having about staying one place for so long. Last year, she had been on the run from snatchers and was used to expending a good deal of energy each day as a result. Returning to a normal school schedule had been a hard adjustment. The runs had helped her settle during classes. Another surprise that she couldn't determine was good or not happened two weeks ago when a Slytherin named McNair had shown up. He didn't say anything but merely got into step with her for the run. She had almost stumbled in surprise but had kept going when he merely looked at her. It had become a routine since for him to run with her and she had become used to his silent presence. Probably the work of Riddle to keep an eye on her but because he didn't interfere, she had never voiced her suspicions.

Dorea's voice broke her out of her thoughts. "How do you like your hair?" Meeting her friend's eyes in the mirror, Kaylee realized while she had been lost in her thoughts, her friend had finished doing her hair. It had been swept up into an elegant up-do with a few lose strands hung around her face.

"Thank you Dorea, it looks lovely. Will it stay up all night or will I need to reapply a sticking charm?" she asked as she rose from the chair.

"No, I think the one I applied will hold as long as you don't get too sweaty from dancing." Dorea tucked one last curl of her own hair up and turned to Kaylee. "Ready to go?"

Kaylee grimaced. "As ready as I'll ever be." She paused and asked in a quieter voice, "You and Charlus will keep an eye on me right?" She hated to sound so needy but being alone with Tom made her nervous.

"Of course." Dorea replied calmly. "Try to have a good time though; these parties are generally quite nice with some interesting people to talk to." With that her friend swept them both out of the room and downstairs. Tom and Charlus were waiting for them but Kaylee could tell they had avoided any interaction while they waited for their dates.

Charlus moved forward at once with an awestruck expression. "Dorea, you look beautiful. I hope this doesn't clash with your dress," he said as he produced a wrist corsage from his pocket. The trio of white flowers was simple but elegant.

Kaylee smiled as Dorea actually blushed under his attention. "They are perfect Charlus," she said breathlessly as he slid them on her wrist. With a glance in Kaylee's direction the two headed out of the common room. Tom had not moved during the interaction with the other couple but had an expectant look that she was to come to him rather than meeting her at the stairs. She took a deep breath and walked over until she was a foot away to meet his eyes.

He looked her up and down for a minute before meeting her eyes and said simply, "The gown matches you well. Come." He wrapped an arm around her waist and led her out the door. Guess that was as much of a compliment as he gives, she thought a little put out. Although why she was, she didn't want to dwell on. This isn't a date, she told herself firmly. You shouldn't care what he thinks about your appearance. Keeping that thought fixed in her mind, they entered the decorated room.

"Professor Slughorn did a wonderful job decorating," she said with delight. Indeed, the professor may be obsessed with acquiring prominent people, but he had excellent taste in decorations. Remembering back to Professor Lockhart's abhorrent ideas of décor, she was glad to see Slughorn was not like the frivolous man at all. Although she had never particularly enjoyed Halloween, there were no spiders or other disturbing items anywhere. Instead, various shades of orange, black, and purple adorned the cocktail tables with tasteful sized pumpkins as the centerpieces.

"Yes, he puts a lot of effort into ensuring these parties entice previous successful students to mingle with his current one," Tom replied in a slightly bored tone. "As tedious as these affairs can be, they have been useful in acquiring connections outside of Hogwarts." With a glance down at her, he pulled her further into the room and over to where several of his Slytherin counterparts were socializing.

"Miss Jones, allow me to introduce my fiancée Lydia Lestrange," Abraxas Malfoy gestured to the tall, blond girl on his arm. Kaylee could see several features she recognized in Lucius Malfoy's face.

"It's nice to meet you," Kaylee replied softly with a small smile.

Miss Lestrange looked down at Kaylee with a raised eyebrow. "You're a small thing aren't you. Tell me, is Jones a muggle name?" she asked in an arrogant tone.

Kaylee stiffened and could feel her magic trying to escape the constraints she had around it. Forcing it back into submission, she relaxed her shoulders before meeting the tall woman's eyes again.

"Yes it is, my mother married a muggle over on the continent. I have only recently been reunited with my cousin Professor Dumbledore," she stated as calmly as she could. Kaylee hoped dropping Dumbledore's name would help alleviate the tension that had permeated the foursome. Tom's hand had stiffened on her waist but had not said anything during the exchange. With a look in his direction, she could see he had maintained a blank but slightly bored expression.

The taller girl sniffed. "The Dumbledore family is a…curious collection. No doubt their lax views allowed your mother to make such a connection. I do hope you are able to make a better one for yourself in the future." Her tone implied she believed the possibility to be slim.

Kaylee swallowed back a rude retort and merely nodded politely. She had learned over the years that nothing she said would change any of these people's views. She glanced at Tom again, how could he want to associate with people that thought this way was beyond her. She had learned about his heritage through Harry and couldn't understand why he would go down the path of blood purity. Although considering his stint in the orphanage and his parents decisions, he might well be ashamed of being a half-blood as well as angry over his treatment from muggles. It made sense considering most Death Eaters by her time weren't even aware his heritage. Although his followers now would know his status…what happens between now and then that allow this information to disappear. An involuntary shudder over the thought shook her causing Tom to glance down questioningly. She shrugged at him, hoping he wouldn't pursue the issue, and saw the main table being set for dinner.

Tom kept a close eye on his date during the evening. She had been contemplative in the beginning but had entered into a lively debate with the witch next to her regarding careers for women in the wizarding world. He wondered how the opportunities had changed between now and her time. He had thought a lot about how far she had come and assumed it was a significant amount when taking into the type of clothes she had arrived in. The men next to him were pureblood members of the Wizamgot. Dull to talk to but useful contacts all the same especially Arcturus Black.

"My son has spoken highly of your achievements while at Hogwarts. Do you have any plans after graduation?" Black queried.

"I plan to go into politics in the future but right now I am planning on working and traveling for a while to gain new experiences and knowledge that may assist me in the future. Learning about the various wizarding communities would be invaluable information before I enter to the Britain political climate." Tom allowed his magic to drift lightly over the men listening to him, providing him a more charismatic appeal. He had no qualms using it in this way; he had always believed using every strength to his advantage. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Kaylee stiffen and give him a short look. Interesting.

As the men turned to Slughorn after the man asked them a question regarding legislation, he turned his magic to gently probing his companion's magic. As usual, she had a tight leash on it but he could feel an answering call to his own, much stronger than ever before. Her face had set in a frown as he felt her wrestle her magic away from his. He pushed a little harder, wanting to see what she would do.

"Stop that," she hissed.

"Stop what?" he said innocently. Her eyes tightened in anger and her mouth set into a firm line. "Do you feel something…unusual?" He smirked internally when instead of answering, she returned to her conversation.

It was clear she did not feel as comfortable has him using her natural magic. She was extremely proficient in classes so obviously wandwork was an acceptable use in her book but using it in the way he relished…another item he would have to encourage her into using at a later date. The way her magic responded to his despite her constraint would be something to look into in that silver little book in his room.

After dinner, the main table was whisked away by the house elves and the cocktail tables reappeared. A dance floor was put up and music began to play. Slughorn began circulating the room encouraging couples to dance. Tom had always found dancing to be a waste of time so he escorted Kaylee to a cocktail table.

"Wait here, I will get us drinks." Without waiting for a response, he took off for the refreshments table.

Kaylee sighed. The witch next to her at dinner, a Mrs. Longbottom, had been a nice conversationalist which helped pass the time. It was intriguing hearing about the changes being made to help women enter the workforce. Kind of an exciting time in that regard. With Tom off to get drinks, she thought it would be a good time to find Charlus and Dorea. Glancing about the room, she spotted her friends making their way towards her.

She smiled as they approached. "How was dinner for you guys?"

Charlus rolled his eyes. "Not much for schmoozing politicians but the food was good!"

Dorea elbowed him in the side. "You should pay attention; you will take over the Potter seat eventually and will need to know current events."

"Boring if you ask me, but I suppose the lady is right as always," Charlus stated with a small bow to his date.

Dorea rolled her eyes but smiled. "If you remember that, than any girl would be lucky to have you."

Charlus looked at Dorea with a large smile. "Only you my dear."

Kaylee laughed at the dialogue between her friends. She hoped these two stayed together, they were a good match. As her friends continued their friendly banter, Kaylee spotted Tom headed back to the table with a glacial expression on his face. She huffed, she was allowed to have friends and he had no right dictating anything about her life. She just hoped she could keep her bravado as she saw how pissed off he really was.

Potter. Always Potter. As he strolled over to his date, Tom wrapped his arm around her waist and brought her sharply to his side.

"Potter. Ms. Black." He nodded to both of them coolly. "I hope you are having a pleasant evening. Now if you would excuse us…" Intending to lead Kaylee away, he was surprised when Kaylee herself resisted.

"We were having a nice conversation, if you wish to find someone else, I can meet you later," she said firmly, although he could see her shoulders were tight with apprehension. His heated glare made her take a step back.

Before he could respond, Potter interfered, "Obviously Kaylee prefers more…lively conversation than your…friends can provide. We would be happy to entertain her while she is here. I can even see she gets back to her dorm safely if you would like to mingle further."

If possible, Tom's dark mood worsened when Kaylee took a step in her friend's direction. Keeping a tight rein on his anger, he wrapped his arm around her waist again and pulled her against him.

"That won't be necessary, Potter," he practically spat. "If my date is tired, I will be happy to escort her back to her room."

Without waiting for a reply, he firmly pushed Kaylee towards the door. After they both thanked Slughorn for a lovely evening, the couple headed out the door.

"You had no right to do that!" Kaylee was furious, her anger making her override her generally quiet nature. "I am allowed to have friends whether you like them or not! And furthermore, if I wanted Charlus to escort me home, that was my choice!" Even as the words were leaving her mouth, Kaylee's brain was screaming at her to shut up.

Glancing up, Tom's stone cold gaze did not bode well for her. This thought was reinforced when he grabbed her arm roughly and pulled her down a side corridor.

"I think you and I need to have a discussion about who is in charge here." His voice had tightly controlled anger in it and his expression was the coldest she had ever seen. Too late, she remembered how Harry described the one thing to make Voldemort lose it was someone testing his command. She swallowed thickly.

"Where…where are you taking me?" she asked tremulously as she tried to slow their pace unsuccessfully.

"Somewhere private," his voice dark with promise.

Since he wasn't looking at her, she took the chance to subtly pull her wand from the invisible arm holster. Waiting until he paused at a door she hadn't seen before, she cast a Petrificus Totalus silently. Without even batting an eye, he had wordlessly and wandlessly blocked her spell and disarmed her.

"That wasn't smart pet," he said darkly. She turned to run and before she got two steps he had stunned her. As the darkness closed in, she knew she was going to regret her actions tonight.

Kaylee's eyes blinked open slowly. Where was she? Looking around, she saw stone walls and several lit torches dotting along it. Before she could take in more, Tom's voice broke through her perusal.

"Welcome back my dear. Now how about we discuss your actions tonight…and what my expectations will be for the future." His voice was slow and even. Glancing to her right, she watched him approach.

"Where are we?" she asked shakily.

"No need to worry about that dear, you won't remember being here tomorrow." Well, that was reassuring, she thought to herself with trepidation. What is he going to do to her that would require obliviation?

His voice brought her attention back to him. "Now, I believe this is a good time to discuss your arrival here at Hogwarts. What can you tell me about the events leading it up do it? And before you lie, know that I already know the story of being Dumbledore's niece from the continent is false so let's skip that shall we?"

She swallowed, "I don't know what you're talking about…" Before she could finish, he had cast crucio on her. Her nerves exploded into fire as she tried to hold back the screams. She lasted all of 30 seconds before they were ripped from her throat. As he ended the curse, she lay panting for a full minute. He crouched down next to her and gently pushed a stray hair from her face gently.

"I don't like to do it this way but if you insist on being difficult, I will have no choice." He lifted her up with a flick of his wand and wordlessly bound her to the wall. "An interesting thing happened the night you came. When I came upon your bloody body, my magic drew me to a small trinket in your hand."

Her eyes widened, so that was where it went! She would have to tell Dumbledore about this…if she remembered in the morning that is.

"Inside the little box was a note written to me…from my future self," he said slowly.

She raised her eyes to his. He knew. Oh God.

"What…what did it say?" she asked, wondering if she even wanted to know.

He smiled slowly, "now pet, that's for me to know. Needless to say you were my own little messenger sent from my future." He paused as heat filled his eyes. "And I will not be sharing you with anyone," he said forcefully.

"I am not some toy or possession you can own!" The words flew out of her mouth before she could stop them.

His gaze hardened. Before she could see what he was doing, a small knife had cut her palm. As the blood welled up, he placed a piece of parchment against it. She whimpered from the pain, struggling to pull her hand away before her blood could soak into the paper.

He stepped back from her and turned to look at the note. Her stomach sank as she caught a glimpse of writing appearing before he turned his back to her.

Tom watched in anticipation as more words appeared.

 _She is the key_

Another line appeared below it.

 _Bond her to you_

One last line trickled in at the very bottom, the handwriting looked hurried.

 _Let your magic guide_

Tom reread the lines several times, his mind worked furiously to parcel their meaning. He would have to consider every step carefully. He glanced behind him. Kaylee's pale face and dripping hand brought him back to the present. He strolled back and wandlessly healed the cut on her palm. Her worried green eyes rose to meet his.

"What did it say?" she asked him.

He regarded her thoughtfully. "My little messenger, I look forward to our future conversations together." He smiled darkly. "The note merely reinforced what I already know…" He paused and fisted a hand in her hair, tilting her head back to look into her eyes forcefully, "You are _**mine**_."


	5. Chapter 5

Her stomach dropped at his words. Kaylee's mind raced as she tried to find a way out of her predicament. She was already weak from the torture and he had her wand. Before she could retort his claim, he continued speaking.

"I think now is a good time to look at your arrival and why I sent you back to me." His wand was in his hand before she could blink and he whispered, _"Legilimens."_

He tore through her mind looking for her memory before arriving. Kaylee had never studied or practiced occlumency so she had no defense to speak of. She whimpered as pain shot through her, Tom's mind pushed with little regard, intent on finding what he sought. Finally he latched on.

The memory unfolded quickly; the battle at Hogwarts, Harry's taunts, and finally Lord Voldemort's actions that sent her back. She could feel the fury in Tom's mind when he learned his horcruxes had been destroyed. Latching onto the word, he ruthlessly followed the train of thought to an earlier converstation she had had with Hermione.

" _I am hoping you three have a plan this year?" Kaylee asked her friend while looking around the wedding tent. She had attended the Weasley wedding with Luna, hoping for a last happy memory before she went on the run._

" _Yes," Hermione replied quietly, "Dumbledore left us something to do…if we can do it, he shouldn't be able to come back this time." Hermione looked over at Kaylee with concern in her eyes._

" _You won't be able to return to Hogwarts either, with the Muggleborn Registration going on. Do you have a plan?"_

" _Kind of," Kaylee shifted nervously, "Since my parents passed away last year, I only have to worry about myself. I'm hoping to slip across to the continent after the wedding. Our problems haven't reached there yet."_

Of course, looking back Kaylee could see how shockingly naïve she had been. Voldemort and the ministry had been prepared for muggleborns trying to flee. She had ended up hiding and running away from snatchers for months before…Kaylee's mind shied away from the train of thought. Luckily, Tom was engrossed in finishing the memory. He pulled out sharply after that, her whimpers of pain not registering as he turned away.

 _Always Dumbledore_ , Tom thought furiously. Replaying the memories again, Tom was horrified at what he had become in the future. What had caused such a drastic physical change? And his actions that flitted through Kaylee's mind had hinted at madness or at least unstable behavior. He would have to research carefully on how to avoid that fate.

"Who is the girl you spoke to?" He turned back around, waving his wand to release her from the bonds holding her up. He caught her deftly as she fell and helped her sit down against the wall.

"A friend, she was…is…one of the smartest people I know." Kaylee looked down as tears filled her eyes. "I should have resisted you more," she said brokenly. Now that he knew, she could feel her timeline being ripped apart; he was going to change everything.

"You have had no training in mind arts and I am extremely capable in that area. If you had resisted more, the pain would be much worse," he told her calmly. "In the future, I will expect complete honesty from you as you have done here tonight." He could tell the night's events had worn her down; he also needed to regroup before speaking with her again.

He hauled her to her feet and apparated them to her dorm. Casting a privacy bubble, he directed her to her bed and closed the curtains. She sat down hesitantly, aware that he hadn't taken her memory away of the evening. A small hope filled her that he was too distracted over what he saw to remember that little detail.

"I expect you to remain quiet about our…conversation tonight. You would not like it if something slipped out and I became displeased with you." She nodded weakly. She fully intended to run to Dumbledore the minute Tom left her.

Tom put a finger under her chin and lifted her gaze to his. He whispered something softly that she couldn't quite catch and felt the darkness of sleep come upon her.

After he was sure she was asleep, Tom laid her down on the bed and apparated back to his room. Hopefully, the mind block he placed on her would hold up against Dumbledore's scrutiny. He knew she planned to go to the professor the minute his back was turned. He had found the little curse in a book in the Restricted Section that would allow the caster to block certain memories from being spoken or shared through legilimency. He believed this method would work better than obliviation; she would be able to remember all their conversations in the future without worry of them being repeated unless he allowed it. There were consequences which had allowed the practice to fall into disuse but he believed they were neglible compared to the benefits.

He sat back in his chair, sipping some hot tea as he thought about the night's events. His appearance and apparent instability still caused discomfort but even now his mind was cataloguing the information in a way where he could analyze what had caused the changes. And what could be done to prevent them from happening now that he knew. There was no way he was going to end up like that if he could help it. His thoughts turned to his horcruxes. Currently, he had two made but planned on making several more in the future. The fact that Dumbledore apparently knew about them in the future or maybe even now was worrisome. It was a vulnerability in his plans that would need further scrutiny before he moved forward.

The girl Kaylee had talked to along with the boy he had been dueling at the battle were important to her. Although she claimed the girl…Hermione his brain supplied the name…was a friend, there was an added depth to her emotions regarding the two. Kaylee mentioned three during that conversation, when Hermione had talked about Dumbledore's mission. He would have to question her later on the significance of the three teenagers. Although why Dumbledore would place such an important task on such young people, Tom hadn't a clue. It seemed…an unnecessary risk to him. Another question to ask Kaylee.

As he got ready for bed, his thoughts turned to the moment his future self sent Kaylee back. Obviously, the move had been planned because the items were ready to be placed in her hand. What the big question was why her specifically? He could feel Kaylee's confusion when she thought about that moment. Thinking back more closely, he remembered a thought drifting through Kaylee as they watched the memory, thinking along similar lines as he. The other girl, Hermione, had seemed like a better choice considering she was directly involved but for some reason Kaylee had been singled out. Why?

The week passed slowly for Kaylee. She was constantly on edge around Tom and spent much of her time hidden away in her dorm. She knew it was a pointless endeavor considering he could apparate in Hogwarts (How did he do that anyway?) but it did help her avoid the man as often as possible. On Saturday, Dorea practically forced Kaylee to walk down to Hogsmeade with her for "fresh air." As much as Kaylee wanted to avoid a Tom meeting, it was nice to get out of the castle. The girls met up with Charlus at the Three Broomsticks for Butterbeer before Kaylee slipped away to the bookstore to give the couple alone time. As she browsed, her magic began humming softly. When she turned to go down the next aisle, she bumped into a large male chest.

"Hello pet. Not been avoiding me have you?" Well that was just great. The one time alone and she practically runs into him. Refusing to look up, she tried to edge past.

"No of course not, just been a busy week," she replied trying to sound nonchalant and failing miserably.

His hand tightened on her shoulders. "I let you have space after our discussion but I will require more information soon." He bent down to speak quietly into her ear, "You will not like it if I have to force it out of you again." He kissed her cheek and straightened. Looking over her shoulder, Kaylee saw Dorea and Charlus heading in to collect her.

Tom wrapped an arm around her waist. "I would love to walk back with you dear, thank you for the pleasant offer." He smiled down at her, his eyes daring her to argue with him.

She swallowed back her retort; there wasn't much he could do on the trail back to the castle…too many witnesses.

Charlus, overhearing Tom's words, spoke up before Tom could guide her past him. "Are you sure Kaylee? I would be happy to escort you back." He gave a meaningful glance at Tom. "I know you are…uncomfortable being alone with Riddle here."

Kaylee's breath caught. Charlus was being more confrontational than ever before and she worried what consequences could befall him if he kept up his behavior.

"Its fine Charlus," she said quickly, "Enjoy your time with Dorea, Tom will get me back safely." She smiled at her friend in what she hoped was a reassuring way.

Before Charlus or Dorea could say goodbye, Tom gently pushed her past her two friends and guided her onto the road back to Hogwarts.

As soon as they were out of sight of any students, Tom yanked Kaylee into his arms and apparated them back to his quarters. He intended to have as long a discussion as possible before dinner and did not have time to walk back to the castle.

He caught Kaylee's elbow as she stumbled and pushed her down onto his common room sofa. The Head Girl would be at Hogsmeade for the rest of the afternoon so he wasn't worried about being overheard.

"A little warning would have been nice!" Kaylee huffed at him. "Why did you drag me back here so quickly?"

"I thought this would be a more…comfortable atmosphere to talk. But if you prove difficult, I will have no qualms about relocating so no one hears anything they shouldn't."

She paled and swallowed thickly, "What…what do you want to talk about?"

He sat down next to her and regarded her carefully. "First of all, I have done extensive research this week on what caused me to change into what I saw in your memory. I will admit, I do not relish the idea of becoming some reptilian creature that is touched by madness. I have not come to any conclusions yet on why this occurred and would like your…insight." He raised an eyebrow, "Needless to say, I expect honest answers from you…and I will know if you are lying. I will enter your mind again if you don't satisfy me."

Kaylee shrank back from him, "I…I'm not sure what you're looking for. After you reappeared…that was just how you looked. I always thought it was due to too much use of Dark Magic or maybe the ritual you used to come back…" she trailed off at the expression on his face.

"What do you mean come back?" he asked forcefully, "Where exactly did I go that I needed a ritual to return?"

Way to reveal even more, Kaylee thought morosely. She was incredibly bad at keeping secrets and the situation she was in made her skills even worse. Why couldn't he have picked Hermione?! She would have been able to withstand this man and keep him out of her head.

"What does Hermione have to do with this?" Tom broke into her thoughts.

"How did you…I thought you weren't going to read my mind again unless I lied?!" she asked sharply.

"Then answer me rather than getting lost in your thoughts. Your mind was practically leaking your thoughts all over. Now answer me."

"I've just been thinking this week that she would have been a better choice for you to send back considering her involvement in the war. She was…is…the smartest witch of our generation which I would think would appeal to you…future you that is."

He glanced into the fireplace for a minute before responding, "I have wondered something similar after reviewing your memories of her. I have a few ideas but have not tested my hypothesis' as of yet." He looked at her again, "That is a discussion for another time, right now I want you to answer my original question."

"You do realize you are asking me to betray all of my friends and family? You will be able to change the future and my kind will perish as a result!" She couldn't help her voice rising in her desperation. If he learned even more of the future, their side wouldn't stand a chance.

"It is too late to back out now, I already know things need to change. The question is, will you use your knowledge to possibly change the future to our mutual satisfaction or will I have to resort to force to get the answers I seek." His brown eyes locked onto her green ones. "You were specifically chosen for a reason by my future self which shows me I valued what you would say to me. Obviously, my current plan did not end well and needs adjustment. I am willing to listen to what you have to say if you will work with me."

Kaylee was stunned. Was Lord Voldemort actually offering a…partnership? Could she use her knowledge to avoid the war altogether or at least, change things where so many people wouldn't have to die? The possibility was enticing but being able to trust him…she wasn't sure if she could do it after everything that had happened to her.

"How can I trust you after everything that happened?" If he wanted honesty, well, she would give it to him. "Your followers tortured me, my friends…so many people died because of your ideology that Muggleborns aren't worthy to have magic." She looked him straight in the eye. "Are you willing to change the fundamental building blocks of your movement to assure me that future won't happen again?"

She had to know. If she couldn't trust him to listen to her, she would fight tooth and nail for every scrap of information but if he did listen…

Tom looked down at the little witch next to him. She had practically thrown a gauntlet down between them, daring him to change everything he had believed. He thought carefully about his response, this moment could change everything between them.

"I am not the…man…you knew in your past, I have not made the same decisions as he. Penalizing me for his actions would be unjustified and petty of you. Although I hold to the belief that Muggles are inferior, it has never been my intention to simply kill off Muggleborns. Regardless of anyone's feelings on the matter, Purebloods continue to hold power in the magical world and catering to their beliefs provides a strong foothold into the halls of power. I have used that knowledge to my advantage to gain power among my peers; they are willing to follow me because they believe Purebloods will gain control of the wizarding world under my rule."

"Is power the only thing you care about?" Kaylee asked heatedly. "Does it not matter to you that the beliefs you are encouraging would wipe out or at least subjugate an entire group of people?"

"I desire power, yes. You already know this about me." He looked at her coolly. "I will not deny that I am willing to make sacrifices to achieve my goals. However, I am willing to discuss how to change my plan to avoid the amount of bloodshed I saw in your memories. I do not relish the idea of constant uprisings against my rule once I have it. Make no mistake, regardless of what path I decide, there will be war. Regardless if I am the one making the changes, the hostilities between Muggleborns and Purebloods will escalate into bloodshed. Now that I know that my current plan will fail, I can adjust it to ensure the war will be at least of shorter duration."

Kaylee felt despair running through her at his words. Of course now that he pointed it out, it did seem inevitable that war would come regardless if Tom was the one waging it or not. The two groups had been at odds for years already and it grows even worse by her time. There would be a breaking point with or without Tom's interference where Muggleborns would rise up against Purebloods because of their ideology. She felt a large weight settle on her shoulders. Her actions here could cause significant change in the future and she wasn't sure she was capable of that amount of responsibility.

"I don't presume to know the correct solution to avoid a war. Hermione and I have discussed several…issues that Muggleborns have integrating into the wizarding world. Coming from such different backgrounds, the two sides have such little common ground. Integrating Muggleborns at an earlier age and teaching them about wizarding customs before they become adults would be a step in the right direction." She looked up at Tom. "Your followers in the future believe Muggleborns to be the equivalent of animals. Getting such people to agree to integration even earlier…I don't know how to do something like that. On the other side, there will be Muggleborns that resist these changes simply because they will believe Purebloods are forcing them too. You will need the full force of the Ministry and a strong power base to even attempt something like this."

Tom looked at Kaylee in surprise. "You seem to have thought about this a lot."

Kaylee blushed. "I think most of the credit should go to Hermione. She spoke passionately about the subject a lot. If she were here, she could probably give you a detailed plan of what you need to do." She huffed a laugh, "You are as smart if not smarter than her, I'm sure you have already adjusted your plan based on the limited information I have given you."

Tom smirked at her. "Perhaps, but I will have to consider your words more before I decide on anything."

She looked at him thoughtfully; would knowledge of his first defeat change anything now? He seemed to have forgotten his first question but it might provide an incentive to change his actions more quickly.

"You died," she said abruptly. "In answer to your original question; you were defeated and spent several years as a wraith before you came back as the…creature you saw. I don't know the cause of your appearance but that was the reason you needed the ritual."

Tom stilled as he listened. Several pieces clicked into place after her explanation. After his defeat, his horcruxes would have kept his soul alive but a new body would have had to be created. His mind ran through several potions and spells he had read about that could be used. That would explain the altered appearance but his mind should have remained intact.

"Do you know why I was mentally unstable then?" His mind had come back to the question over and over the last week. Although his altered looks bothered him to a small extent, losing his reasoning and mind was another thing entirely. Frankly, even the possibility of that occurring…

Her nose scrunched up as she thought about his question. "When Hermione alluded to the idea that their mission was to ensure you couldn't come back, I wasn't sure what she referred to until the battle where Harry mentioned horcruxes. I'm assuming they are a dark magic for immortality?"

Tom nodded, "I planned on making several for failsafes if one was destroyed." He paused, then said a little angrily, "I was not anticipating three teenagers to go on a hunt for them in my future." The idea of it still made him curse Dumbledore for even knowing about them.

"What exactly do they do? How does it make you immortal?" Kaylee asked, the academic coming to the fore.

"Each time you make one, a part of your soul is stored within the object so if your body dies, the soul remains grounded here." It had seemed an elegant plan at the time. Create several horcruxes to ensure his enemies could never defeat him and then place them in well protected spots around Britain.

"I'm going to assume I don't want to know how they are created." Kaylee looked at his smirking face. "I'm not sure how souls and mental stability correlate. Maybe the ritual for the new body wasn't executed properly? Depending on how many horcruxes you made, so many splits in a soul could result in decreased empathy and emotional stability." She mused thoughtfully. "The soul is said to be the source for all emotions in the body, your essence if you will. Having it ripped apart would mean you wouldn't be able to process emotions correctly anymore and in turn would affect your mental performance."

Kaylee was so lost in her thoughts that she failed to notice Tom's stiffening posture. Once she finally looked over, she could see her words had made an impact on him…not in a good way.

"This is all just speculation," she said quickly, hoping to diffuse the situation. "There isn't a lot of information on this subject. I only know what I do because my friend Luna was attuned to auras and had a fascination with their link to our souls." She knew she was rambling but couldn't seem to shut up.

She startled when Tom placed a finger over her lips.

"I am not angry at you but at myself. The two things I value above all else about myself are my mind and magic. The idea that I willingly endangered one of those makes me angry." He shook his head and his gaze sharpened on her face. "I will take your insight into consideration. We will discuss this again later."

As Kaylee left for dinner, she couldn't help but feel like something momentous had occurred but was unsure what the outcome would be yet.


	6. Chapter 6

Professor Dumbledore arrived back at the school Monday and sent Kaylee a note telling her to come by his office after classes. Before her and Tom's discussion Saturday, she would have been anxious to tell the man everything and handle Tom himself. Now however, she was unsure on the correct course. She knew Dumbledore was adamant that the timeline remain intact and would expect her to disclose if someone found out about her past. But she believed she had a chance to make the future brighter, however slim that chance might be.

The day past too quickly in her mind and before she knew it, she was entering Dumbledore's office. Kaylee had still not decided what to do and on top of that, she wasn't sure if any decision she would even matter. She knew Dumbledore was a master Legilimens in her time and assumed he already acquired the skill. If he entered her mind, she wouldn't have much choice about the situation.

"Kaylee, come in! I'm sorry we haven't been able to speak in a while, this year has been quite busy for me." She could see the tiredness and strain around his blue eyes. History mostly talked about his duel at the end of the year, but she assumed the lead up would be just as stressful for him.

"Of course sir, don't worry about it. I…understand some of the situation you are going through…"she trailed off looking at him meaningfully.

"Ah yes, I'm sure you do." He cleared his throat and attempted a more cheerful tone. "From what I have heard from the other professors, you have adjusted well?"

"Yes sir, I have made some good friends. And Professor Kettleburn has been very kind to me; letting me help out with some of the animals."

"And what about young Tom? You expressed concern last time we talked. I hear he has taken an…interest in you?" Despite his pleasant demeanor, Kaylee could see him scrutinizing her closely. She made her decision in that moment.

"Yes, he has escorted me on several outings. It is more of a romantic interest, I don't believe it pertains to my situation," she said carefully. "Now having spent time with him, my concern from last time has dissipated."

Despite her words, Dumbledore's eyes remained sharp on her own and she wondered if he was trying to read her thoughts.

"Um…sir, have you discovered anything regarding my arrival…or how to get home?" Even as she asked, she realized she wasn't as keen to leave as before. She had made some good friends here and then there was Tom.

Dumbledore blinked away from his face and seemed to focus on her words. "I have sent inquiries out but we need to be careful on ensuring no one draws the right conclusions about you. I promise to let you know as soon as I find anything out."

With nothing else to speak about, the two parted ways for dinner shortly after. Kaylee decided to reevaluate everything regarding Tom before meeting Dumbledore again. She wanted to see how her relationship developed with the future Lord Voldemort before she made any decisions.

Albus Dumbledore sat back as Kaylee left the room, his mind racing over the last half hour. After her concern regarding Tom, he had assumed she would have maintained a distance between them. Instead, when he had returned he had been regaled of the budding romance between the two from their gushing professors. Their golden boy had never expressed interest in girls before and they were all excited over the development, especially Horace Slughorn. The news had prompted him to schedule a meeting with the girl sooner rather than later.

Even though she tried to reassure him of the nature of the relationship, he wasn't convinced. Albus had been wary of Tom since the boy arrived at Hogwarts and had his concern had only grown over the years, especially after the incident with the poor girl who had been killed. He had subtly taken a look into Kaylee's mind to ascertain if she was telling the truth and was met with a strong wall whenever he tried to find anything regarding Tom. Albus had looked into her mind several times since she arrived and had never encountered anything remotely resembling occlumency, which meant this wall was not her creation. He frowned heavily; he did not believe she was aware of such a thing but the nature of the wall was the like of which he had never seen before. Her compliance may have been necessary to form it…he would have to research what caused the wall and how to get around it. The knowledge hidden behind it could be detrimental to the timeline if she had told anyone about her past. The girl needed to go back to her time as soon as possible!

Albus pulled out a piece of parchment and drafted several more letters. Although he couldn't devote his full attention to Kaylee's situation due to Grindlewald's movements, he could have others start the process for him.

Tom watched Kaylee closely as she entered the Great Hall for dinner. He knew she had had a meeting with Dumbledore and wondered how is spell would hold out against the professor's scrutiny. She did not seem upset and merely gave him a pleasant nod on the way to the Ravenclaw table. Dumbledore came in a minute later and headed for the Head Table. Tom kept his gaze on the food until the old man had begun eating. McNair slipped in a minute later; it had been his shift to follow Kaylee for the afternoon.

"Well?" Tom asked. He had instructed his follower to observe the interaction between to two after the meeting.

"Miss Jones seemed thoughtful but not affected in a negative way. Professor Dumbledore seemed the same as always, that man has always been hard to read though," McNair reported.

Tom nodded, he assumed Dumbledore had mastered occlumency and was proficient on keeping his emotions and expressions in check. It was part of the reason Tom had learned mind arts early on; being able to maintain even more control over himself had been a strong enticement.

Later that night, Tom found Kaylee in the back of the library. A quick glance spotted McNair doing his homework a couple of tables over.

"You know, I'm not stupid." Kaylee didn't look up at him as she spoke, instead continuing to write her essay. "I see your…boys following me around everywhere."

Tom smirked. "I never said you were. They are there to ensure you remain safe. After all, you are an important asset for me."

She sniffed at him and finally looked up. "I have fought in a war; I know how to take care of myself."

"Although your performance in Defense is sufficient for school, you could still use improvement. I would be willing to assist you." Tom also thought it would give him an opportunity to draw out her power that she kept constrained so tightly.

Kaylee stiffened. She had avoided being in a situation with Tom that could potentially draw her magic out even more than it already did in his presence. Her constraints were tested every time they were together although she still hadn't figured out why yet.

"I…" she cleared her throat. "Thank you for the offer Tom but I think I'm doing alright on my own."

Tom's eyes tightened in annoyance. "All of my knights undergo training from me to ensure they will be prepared for the future I have in mind for them. You of all people know what that future holds. I will not have you hurt or killed because you couldn't defend yourself properly. And before you try to say you have survived just fine before, I intend for my followers to win…not merely survive."

Kaylee looked at him angrily. "I am not one of your…followers," she hissed quietly, aware that McNair was a few tables over. "I have agreed to be your…partner for lack of a better term to ensure a better future. I did not agree to obey your commands or become one of your lackeys."

Tom stalked around the table and gripped her hair firmly, tugging her head back so she had to look up at him. Bending down to whisper in her ear he said, "Do not push me little witch. Although I listen to your counsel, do not forget that I am still the one in control. You will attend dueling practice with me whether you like it or not." He kissed her cheek and straightened.

"Do not fret my dear, I won't humiliate you too far when I best you during practice." He smirked when he saw her eyes flash with fury. "Feel free to prove me wrong." He strolled off before she could retort.

As much as she prided herself on being a calm, gentle mannered person; Kaylee was experiencing turbulent emotions ranging from anger to apprehension on her way to dueling practice with Tom. On the one hand, she did realize her need for additional practice when it came to dueling. Although she was decent for a student, she had no illusions that luck had played a large role in her survival during the war so far. But giving into Tom's commands was not something she wanted to do on a regular basis. She had no plans on becoming a Death Eater or being…acquired by him. If she was going to work with him, she wanted an equal partnership.

Yes, this was solely for her benefit…not because he had commanded her too. _Just keep telling yourself that_ she scoffed internally as she reached the door to the dueling room.

Before she had fully closed the door, a sharp slicing hex came at her which she barely managed to block.

"A little warning would have been nice!" she cried as she dived away from another hex.

"Your enemy will not give you warning, you must be on your guard at all times," Tom replied in an even voice as he continued to throw hexes and borderline dark curses at her.

Kaylee dodged and shielded for the most part as she got into the swing of dueling. It had been a while and she was a little rusty on her reflexes but she had only managed to be hit twice so far despite the speed he was throwing curses at her. None of the ones she had managed to throw had hit him at this point.

"You are holding back; I cannot fully assess your capabilities unless you use all of your magic." He looked as collected and calm as ever despite having to dodge some of her hexes.

Kaylee firmed her control over her natural magic; she would not be goaded into releasing her constraints.

Tom felt her constraints tighten in response to his statement and he began to throw darker curses to hopefully put her into a more desperate situation which would draw out her power whether she liked it or not.

He watched as she began dodging more rather than facing him head on and only threw hexes at him occasionally. All the spells so far had been firmly light even though he had seen her use darker ones in her memories.

"I know you can come up with better curses than you are using, why are you holding back?" he asked, watching her clutch her leg where a slicing hex had gotten through her shield.

"I don't like using them if I can help it," she glanced at him when he stopped attacking, "my…wand does better with lighter curses."

He could see that, she had been indoctrinated into thinking dark magic was inherently evil and shouldn't be used. Therefore, her wand had adjusted to the mindset and performed better with spells she believed to be acceptable. His wand was used to both sides and worked with him no matter what he used by this point.

He walked over to her and held his hand out for her wand. "May I?" He knew this would be a great amount of trust to give him. Any witch or wizard hated being parted from their wands.

She looked at him warily but handed her wand over when she saw he had pocketed his own.

Tom took the wand and sent his magic out to test the strengths and weaknesses of the tool. It was definitely rooted in the light but he could sense it had the capability to use darker magic if needed. She just needed a push in that direction.

Instead of handing it back to her, he redirected his magic to gently probing hers. He watched her stiffen and her eyes shot to his.

"What…what are you doing?" she asked him shakily. He could see her hands tightening into fists as he continued to probe her constraints…testing them.

"Why do you put these here?" he asked, letting his magic prod hers a little more forcefully.

"It's…not necessary to use with a wand. I don't like the fact I can't control my natural magic; things happen around me when it's loose." She didn't elaborate on what "things" happened but he had a good idea. Before he had learned to control his, strong emotions like anger could make objects explode or cause pain to whoever had angered him. He had learned to harness the power, to direct it where and what he wanted. She needed to learn the same.

Tom began adding steady increasing pressure to the constraints, intent on breaking them completely.

"Please stop!" she whimpered, using whatever strength she could to push him away. He could feel her magic however pressing from the other side, reaching for his.

"Let go little one. You will never know your true strength until you do." With one last push, her magic broke through and it was…exquisite. Her magic practically sang in its release, exploding around them in waves of light. Her magic had a songlike quality to it that he had never heard before but it was like the most complex symphony he could imagine.

Turning his attention back to Kaylee, he could see her struggling to maintain any sort of control over her magic. He allowed his magic to embrace hers; wrestling the waves into submission and allowing it to meld with his slightly. The feeling of embrace left his magic feeling calmer than ever before. He looked into Kaylee's eyes and saw the same realization reflected back at him. Their magics had been calling each other for weeks and the result was awe inspiring.

Kaylee's eyes widened as she felt her magic come into her control with the added weight of Tom's magic wrapping around her magical core. Her magic was singing to her in happiness; it had finally touched what it had been seeking for months. She looked up into Tom's eyes in time to see his descent and then his lips were on hers.

Their magics sang in answer to the intimate embrace. He wrapped his left arm around her and the other slid around her neck to tilt her face into his kiss. She trembled as his tongue traced her lips, seeking permission while his magic simultaneously dominated her own. Her mouth opened to his question without thought and he immediately took control of the kiss. His tongue swept into her mouth, mapping every inch and she gripped his shoulders at the onslaught. Between him and his magic, she couldn't think other than to submit completely.

The moment she surrendered, Tom knew which bond he would use with Kaylee. She was utterly perfect for him. The kiss in itself was pleasurable but the way their magics intertwined…this is why she had been sent back to him. His magic had never felt more stable or powerful when joined with hers. The embrace between them all the more sweeter for it. He felt himself harden from the power of the moment but he reigned himself in. She was not ready quite yet for that large of a step.

After several minutes, he slowly drew back from the kiss and allowed his magic to separate from hers. Soon, he wouldn't have to but he knew she needed breathing room. He didn't know how long she had kept her magic restrained but it would take her time to learn to control it like he did. Once they bonded, he would be better equipped to help her but he could begin the process now.

"Your magic is…exquisite little messenger." Tom put a finger under her chin, forcing her to meet his gaze. "I am never letting you go, I hope you realize that."

Kaylee's mind reeled over what had happened. She didn't even think before she answered him.

"Yes."


	7. Chapter 7

**Little bit of Christmas fluff, my favorite time of year and I couldn't help having a chapter about it!**

The weeks leading up to Christmas passed quickly for Kaylee; her time divided between school, dueling, and discussing the future with Tom. The break was a welcome relief to her as Dumbledore was gone from the school more often than not and she was able to take a breather from the schoolwork. Tom had stayed at the castle as well but was working on a project that Professor Slughorn had practically dragged him into. Tom didn't seem to mind and it allowed Kaylee some alone time she hadn't had in quite a while. Their relationship had continued along at a slow pace; Tom was not one for public displays of affection which suited Kaylee. His actions of holding her hand or kissing her cheek were daily and more intimate moves were only used as displays of possession if he thought another male was paying her too much attention. She scolded him during those times but he would shrug her off saying she was his and they needed to know that.

On Christmas Eve, Kaylee slipped into Professor Beery's office early to head to Diagon Alley for some last minute shopping. She had already obtained permission a couple of days ago and new Tom would be kept in the Potions Lab for the day and would not miss her absence. She flooed directly to the Leaky Cauldron and headed out to the shops. It had been snowing lightly all night so the street looked beautifully white and with the Christmas decorations added in, magical. She smiled broadly as she headed to her first shop; this was the first chance she'd had to get away from the school other than Hogsmeade.

After finding a new broom cleaning kit for Charlus at the Quidditch shop, she headed to a small storefront that had some unique jewelry pieces. She found a pretty silver bangle that had some intricate snowflakes carved on the outside and some basic runes on the inside for protection and anti-theft for Dorea. Kaylee stopped by the sweets shop for a few basic gifts for McNair and Dolohov. She didn't interact with the boys much but considering how much time they spent together she thought a small gift would be appreciated. The clothing shop yielded a unique selection of scarves where she bought a few for Professor Dumbledore and Kettleburn. Dumbledore's three included one that changed with his mood, one that would match whatever color robes he wore, and lastly, one charmed for extreme cold weather. Professor Kettleburn's was a simple black but was charmed to be impervious to fire or rips (like from claws), and was also made for strong cold weather.

Happy with her purchases, she stopped for lunch at a small café and debated what to get Tom. He wouldn't appreciate a mundane gift and a book was too impersonal for her. Plus, she wasn't about to encourage his joy in the dark arts by buying him more information on it. Wandering around after lunch, she realized she had ventured close to the entrance to Knockturn Alley. Although it didn't have quite the dark reputation of her time, it was already heading in that direction. She was about to turn back when she saw a magical menagerie shop that had familiars not found in the one a little ways back.

She pulled her hood up and allowed her wand to slip a little into her hand from its holster; it never hurt to be on guard here. Slipping into the shop, she nodded to the shopkeeper; a short, older man that was busy cataloguing from the looks of it. He barely glanced in her direction so she felt comfortable wandering the store. After passing some specimens that made her shiver, she allowed her magic to branch out a little to see if anything caught its attention. She was drawn to the back of the store where the reptiles were kept.

Kaylee had always been tolerant of snakes but after hearing Voldemort's snake slither past her at Malfoy Manor, her tolerance had shrank. She shuddered, hating to think of her time at that horrible place. That was one subject she had not broached with Tom and planned to keep it that way for as long as possible.

Her magic hummed as she approached the back corner where a small, maybe 2 foot green snake slept in an aquarium. It was basking under a heating lamp and did not even stir when she crouched next to it. Allowing her magic out a little more, her control infinitely better after working with Tom, she began to gently probe the animal. Little black eyes opened to regard her and it raised its head. It was a beautiful green color that reminded Kaylee of pine trees and had black diamonds along its back. Looking into its eyes, she could see intelligence swirling back at her. Standing up, she slowly extended her hand out, waiting to see if it would try to bite or would accept her. The snake raised itself up and flicked her hand with its tongue a few times before it slithered up her arm. Kaylee forced herself to remain still as it wound its way around her neck and nestled into her scarf. After several deep breaths, her shoulders loosened as the snake remained still. _Well, I guess she has accepted me_ , at least for now she thought, hoping the truce would last until she got back to Hogwarts.

Turning around, she headed back to the shopkeeper to pay for the snake. The little old man glanced up at her, giving her a big smile that was missing several teeth.

"Well now little missy!" he said with an interesting accent, "I see you found yourself a friend eh?"

She couldn't help at smile from his enthusiasm and friendly nature.

"Sorry sir, but this is for a friend. I think it's just tolerating me. I'm not much of a snake person honestly." She shuddered again, not wanting to dwell on actually keeping one around her constantly.

"Aw, I think she likes ye. I felt yer magic over there and could see her respond to it, she wouldn't no come to you if not liking ye." As he was talking, he began gathering the paperwork for her purchase.

"Well, I hope that means she will be nice to me when I see her in the future then." Kaylee replied, drawing her bag out for her money. "I spend quite a bit of time with her future owner."

"Well good! She be takin a likin to you. Yer friend a good sort? I don't wanna give her to someone that would treat her badly see. She be special." He accepted her money and had her sign the release form.

"Oh, I think he will take good care of her." Kaylee remembered the stories she heard on how attached Voldemort was to Nagini.

"Good! Good! She a magical one see. Here's a pamphlet I got with her, she gonna live a long time and get much bigger than this for sure!" He grinned at her again, "You wanna let yer friend name her or use the one she got already?"

"Oh! Well, if she already has a name, I wouldn't want to change it on her."

"Ah well, I name all me animals when they come in but lots of people change them when they leave. She be named Nagini though."

She blanched. Obviously there are some things that just aren't meant to change. She just hoped minor things like this were more prevalent than big events otherwise all her work would be wasted.

"I think that's a lovely name," she said faintly. She would give Tom the name and the option to change it but she thought he would keep it all the same.

"Now what about you missy? You got a familiar yet? Pretty girl like you get awfully lonely without one!" He began digging through his inventory book, probably looking for something for her.

"Oh I couldn't possibly sir! I've never had one before and your…stock are much to exotic for the likes of me!"

"Nonsense missy! And call me Thad eh? I ain't a sir," he laughed, "even me own son called me Thad once he got older." He smiled at her. "Every witch needs a good companion; I think I got just the thing for you!"

He ambled into his office before she could protest and came back with a black…well fur ball was all she could see.

Carrying it around to her side, he set the furry creature down as it darted to her. Crouching down, she saw it was a puppy, maybe four months old by the looks of its huge paws and gangly gait.

She giggled as it licked her chin and wriggled in her hold. Making sure it kept away from her scarf where Nagini was curled up.

"He's adorable! What is he?"

"He be a magical wolf little missy!" Thad sat down on the floor next to her so the puppy could bounce between them. "He be the first I ever got, usually don't get creatures like this. My customers prefer more…stately things like the snake. At least I don't have to put up with them owls," he said with apparent disgust in his voice.

"You don't like owls?" she asked, looking around. She hadn't noticed but there wasn't a single one in the store. "Aren't they a popular choice?"

"Meh! The hoot and poop everywhere annoying critters! I tried for a little bit and couldn't stand them things!"

She laughed, "I guess they do hoot quite a bit, especially annoying if you're around them all day. What do you use for letters than?"

He pointed to a large black crow next to his desk, "that bird be smarter than five owls and don't make a peep. You come back when you need a letter carrier; I find you something better than a hootin owl."

She smiled at him, "Thank you Thad, I'll keep that in mind." She glanced down at the puppy again. "I don't know if I can afford this little guy, haven't had a pet in a long time." She thought of her dog she had had growing up with sadness. The poor guy had died when she was away at Hogwarts during her first year. She had been devastated and hadn't had the heart to get another one since.

She looked up to see Thad looking at her closely. "I think you need this little feller, he be good for you. You has a way with animals don't ye?"

She cuddled the puppy close. "I've always liked them, I help out Professor Kettleburn at school…it's so relaxing to be around them." She blushed as she looked up. "Sometimes I prefer them to humans."

"They be good that way little missy. My wife and I loved running our little shop and they is keepin me company since she passed on. Your magic makes it easier for ye to interact with critters like me own."

She looked at him closely and hesitantly reached her magic to see if he had a natural magic like hers. She felt him answer her call and was amazed at the feel of his against hers.

There wasn't the same connection as interacting with Tom's but she could feel how strong Thad was in his own way. Whereas hers was light waves and music, Thad's was like a large oak tree with deep roots that spoke of ageless strength and stability. It felt beautiful to her and comforted her magic in the same way Tom's did.

"It's…wonderful Thad," she said a little breathlessly. "I haven't felt many like it before."

He was smiling at her broadly, "Tis wonderful to meet a young person with natural magic, not happening very often lately. Me wife had it too, we always find each other…can sense it in others. Makes a marriage deeper too, she was the wind to my leaves." He looked at her with a deep understanding of their shared magic. "Ye found yer own opposite?"

"My…what?" she asked, confused on what an opposite was.

"Magics like ours always have an opposite we was made to be with. Me and my wife see, she be wind and flowy like while I am a tree, sold and unmoving. Work well together see?"

Kaylee _could_ see. Her magic was all light and subtle while Tom's was all darkness and overpowering. But together, the complimented each other. He tempered her waves and allowed her to control it better while hers soothed the ragged edges of his more turbulent darkness.

"Yes, I think I have found my opposite," she said quietly, a little stunned with the revelation. What did that mean for the two of them? "I have never heard of anything like that," she asked with a question in her voice. The puppy had rolled onto its back, seeking a belly rub which she granted.

"Aw, not something much known nowadays like it was in me youth." He said sadly, "The talent has grown less over the years but still a joy to see when it does." He smiled at her and stood up. "You keep your opposite close ye here, tis awfully lonely once they gone."

"I'll try," she said softly, thinking of the hard future ahead of her. Being connected to Tom in the deep way Thad indicated meant being in the thick of things to come. The thought made her feel incredibly weary.

"Now little missy, you be keeping the puppy now. I won't have him go to anyone else after feeling yer beautiful magic." He brought the dusty catalogue book out and filled out her release form. "You afford this?" He pointed to a price she suspected to be a deep discount.

"Yes," she smiled gently, she didn't have the heart to say no to the sweet man. "What did you name the little guy?" she asked as she lifted the puppy into her arms. He settled into the crook of her elbow and fell asleep.

"Well, bein he all black and followin me around, I called him my little shadow." He smiled at the pup and pulled another pamphlet out.

"Shadow…"she said softly, "I think that's a perfect name." She looked up at Thad, "I'll take good care of him, thank you."

"You have them house elves show you what to feed the little guy at school so ye can take of him after ye hear? Now, no need to wander out to the street, it be getting dark." He gestured to the fireplace in his office. "You floo on back to Hogwarts little missy and visit me again hear? I wanna meet yer friend." He winked at her and shooed her off.

With a last thank you and goodbye, she called out Professor Beery's office and was swept away.

"Lottie?" Kaylee called. A small house elf popped into her room with a big grin.

"Missy Kaylee! Whats can I dos for you?" Her eyes caught onto Shadow's and Nagini's presence. "You gots pets Missy Kaylee?" she asked excitedly.

"Only one is for me, Lottie. The shopkeeper said you would know what to feed Shadow here?" she asked, as the puppy bounded over to the elf and licked her face.

"Oh yes Missy Kaylee! We nots get many of these here at Hogwarts but Lottie be taking good care of Missy Kaylee's Shadow!" Lottie popped away and came back a minute later with a large bowl. "This here has lots of goodies for Missy Kaylee's Shadow!" The elf set the bowl on the floor and Shadow leapt for it. Miscalculating the distance he slid right past the bowl and had to dart around again to reach it.

Kaylee laughed at the puppy's antics, he was already bringing a simple joy into her life.

"I brings the puppy food twice day for you Missy Kaylee, we be taking good care of him for you." Lottie looked over at the snake, "Is she a pressie then?"

"Yes she is, I will keep her here until tomorrow morning. Could you deliver her to Tom Riddle then?" she asked. The snake seemed content to curl up in her scarf on the table. Kaylee had put a heating charm on it that should last the night. The snake hadn't been to keen to leave her warm nest with Shadow bouncing around everywhere

"Of course Missy Kaylee! I deliver your other pressies too!" she gestured to the small pile of wrapped presents on her bed. "You not to worry, Lottie takes care of everything."

"Thank you Lottie," Kaylee smiled. "There is a present for you in there too, but you have to wait until tomorrow."

Lottie's eyes teared up, "You gots me a pressie Missy Kaylee? You the nicest witch!" The little house elf ran over and gave Kaylee a big hug.

"I be taking the pressies now then," the elf said while dabbing her eyes on her apron.

Lottie popped away a second away, whisking away the presents minus Nagini.

Kaylee climbed into bed and felt Shadow burrow under the covers to press into her stomach. As sleep closed in, her thoughts drifted to her conversation with Thad earlier. She would have to think about whether or not she should tell Tom.


	8. Chapter 8

Tom allowed himself a lie in Christmas morning after the long day yesterday working with Slughorn. He hadn't seen Kaylee at meals but Professor Beery told him she had taken a trip into Diagon Alley for the day. Although he was annoyed she hadn't told him, he assumed she was Christmas shopping and should be safe enough. Her dueling skills had improved significantly under his tutelage over the last few weeks. He could feel her become more comfortable using her natural magic and her power was increasing at a steady rate as a result. That area was progressing nicely for the timeline he had laid out for their…relationship for lack of a better word.

A pile of presents was stacked in his common room and a house elf had left him a Christmas breakfast to consume instead of in the Great Hall. He had already made plans to meet up with Kaylee later that morning in his common room so he felt no need to rush. Opening the various gifts from his knights, Tom spent little time sorting what he could use. Several books he had already obtained were set aside to give to Kaylee since he knew she probably hadn't read any of the tomes yet. The money was banished to his Gringotts account.

The last present wasn't wrapped; a simple box with a note attached with a sticking charm. He assumed it was from Kaylee since none of the others were from her. Leaving the box alone for now, he opened the note.

 _Tom,_

 _I found someone that you would be able to converse to when the need arises. She holds a…unique place in my thoughts and knew she was the one for you when I saw her. Her name is Nagini._

 _Happy Christmas,_

 _Kaylee_

Curious now, he slid the box closer and looked inside. There appeared to be one of Kaylee's scarves although he could feel heat radiating from it meaning she must have put a heating charm on it. He probed it with his magic and a snake's head rose to meet his gaze. Surprised that Kaylee would buy him a familiar, an expensive one at that, Tom lowered his hand and the snake slithered up his arm.

 _Your name is Nagini?_ , he asked her in her tongue. She was only about two feet long but he could feel her magical signature radiating off of her. She must have a unique heritage.

 _Yes. You are my master? The girl said she would give me to another._

 _I am your master. The girl you speak of will be my lady soon. You must treat her well._

 _Of course. I could sense your presence on her. I will watch out for her if needed. Her familiar will do the same._

 _ **Her**_ familiar? Kaylee must have bought herself one when she purchased Nagini. He was curious what she had chosen considering Nagini must have come from a different menagerie than the one in Diagon Alley.

 _You may wander about the castle unless I have need of you. I suggest you stay out of sight of students or professors if you can. I will have the house elves provide you sustenance. Do you require particular nesting implements?_

He knew snakes preferred warmer sleeping arrangements, probably why Kaylee had warmed her scarf and sent it along. The castle was drafty and Nagini was not large enough to produce enough body heat yet.

 _The bedding your lady sent will be sufficient for now._

Setting her back in the box, he set it on his desk in the corner where she would have privacy.

Around 10am, he opened his door to Kaylee's knock. A black furry shape ran past his legs and began trotting around the room, sniffing everything it could.

"Sorry!" Kaylee exclaimed as she entered. "He is still young and in need of some training. He will settle soon." She sat on the couch and placed her bag on the floor next to her. "Did you receive your Christmas present this morning?" She smiled slightly but he could see it didn't reach her eyes. Curious.

"Yes I did. She will be a magnificent creature. I gleaned from your note that you…recognized her?"

"Well, not at first. My magic was drawn to her in the shop but I didn't think anything of it until the shopkeeper gave me her name." She sighed, "let's just say that brought some…unpleasant memories up but I knew she was still the right choice. She grimaced down at her shoes. "I just hope it isn't something I regret."

"May I see?" Tom knew she would understand what he was asking. She had been forthcoming recently about sharing memories to assist him in understanding what went wrong in the future but he had known she was hiding something for some time.

Her shoulders tightened and he could feel the anxiety rolling off her. Without thought, his magic reached for hers to soothe the tension. When he realized what he had done, he grimaced but did not draw it back. If it helped her share the memory without force he would use the manipulation.

"I…I try not to think about that particular time," she looked at him with sad eyes, "it was a difficult time for me. I still have nightmares about it although they have gotten better since I've been here."

"I understand your reticence but I cannot understand the future fully without seeing the hard times as well. I know you have been reluctant to show me your more trying memories but I will have to see them eventually. Why not start with this one?"

She sighed. "If I do this, I don't want to talk about it again after today." She looked slightly faint about the idea.

"If my questions are answered today then I will agree to that." He was intensely curious about the memory now. He had seen some memories of her on the run and the battle but nothing regarding interaction with him or his familiar personally.

"Alright." Her could see her gathering her courage and magic into herself and turned to face him fully.

Without giving her time to think anymore, he pointed his wand at her and said, " _Legilimens."_

Over the last few months, he had improved on his skill remarkably through so much use and was able to enter and exit her mind almost painlessly. It helped that their magics tended to meld together slightly to ease the process.

 _They appeared to be in a dungeon considering the barred door and grey stone walls. There was no bed or any other furniture and he finally spotted Kaylee huddled into the farthest corner of the cell. The light was dim but he could see a torch to the left of the cell when he peered through the door._

"Where are we?" he asked Kaylee quietly. He turned to look at her and she had a haunted expression on her face.

"Malfoy Manor. The snatchers captured me earlier that day and took me there instead of the Ministry. Apparently I had caught the interest of some," she swallowed, "some of your Death Eaters because of my friendship with the Golden Trio. I didn't know anything, I hadn't seen them in months but they wanted me all the same."

As she finished speaking, a man approached and opened the door.

" _Come out girly, someone wants to talk to you." He was an extremely unkept individual. Tom could see long, yellowed fingernails and crooked teeth. His eyes gleamed yellow in the darkness and his feral expression made the memory Kaylee sink back into the wall._

" _Don't make me drag you, I'm already promised playtime with you soon but I can start now if you want." His smile was gruesome and memory Kaylee scurried out before he followed through on his threat._

 _They followed the pair up into a small sitting room on the main floor. A woman and a few men were waiting in the room and turned upon their entrance._

" _Ah Fenrir, brought us a little plaything eh?" The woman had a deranged look about her and she cackled as she grabbed memory Kaylee's arm and jerked her closer._

" _She's a tasty little thing isn't she wolf? Can see why you wanted a go at her." The men around the room chuckled darkly at her comment._

" _After Alpha gets a taste, he agreed we could all have a go. Been a while since we had something so pretty…to play with," one of the men grinned at memory Kaylee._

" _Not yet," the woman glared at the man, "I have a few questions for her first. If the Dark Lord agrees, only then can you have her." Without waiting for a reply, the woman yanked the girl to her knees and jerked her head back, forcing memory Kaylee to look at her._

" _Where is Harry Potter? We know you were friendly at school and you've all been on the run for months. Where is he and what's he doing?"_

 _Memory Kaylee looked terrified and whimpered in the woman's hold. Her dirty hands trying to pry the woman's hand off her hair. "I don't know! I haven't seen them for months!" She struggled to get away but the woman threw her to the ground, pointing her wand at her._

" _Crucio!"_

 _Memory Kaylee screamed under the curse until the woman lifted it a minute later._

" _We know you mudbloods have been keeping contact somehow, you must have heard where he was!"_

Tom felt Kaylee burrow her head against his shoulder, shudders running through her as they watched another round of crucio. Tom had performed the curse hundreds of times on his knights and had never felt anything. But seeing the memory of Kaylee being tortured stirred a feeling of protectiveness that made him uncomfortable in its existence. He would have to think on it later but now the scene was changing.

 _Memory Kaylee lay on the floor twitching and whimpering in pain as the door opened. A large snake slithered into the room and circled the laying girl before looking to the woman._

 _The woman glared at it before turning to the first man, Fenrir. "Our master calls for me. Take the mudblood back to her cell. If she doesn't reveal anything tomorrow when I return, you and your men can have her. Not a second before." Without a backwards look, the woman strode towards the door. The snake hissed into the whimpering girl's ear before sliding over the top of her and out the door as well._

 _Fenrir literally growled at the other men who had advanced on the girl, causing them all to step back with angry looks. He hauled the girl up and tossed her over his shoulder._

 _They returned to the cell where he dumped her on the ground and bent to whisper in her ear._

" _I look forward to our time together little girl. My pack will enjoy what's left of you after." He licked her neck and held her still while she tried to struggle away from him. He sniffed her neck for a long moment before chuckling darkly and headed out of the cell._

 _As soon as the door closed, memory Kaylee dragged herself back to the corner where she curled into a ball facing away from the door._

Tom could hear the sounds of her crying as the memory dissolved around him. He allowed Kaylee to push him from her mind, still caught up on what he had seen. Obviously she had escaped somehow before his future self had arrived or she would have shown him the meeting before this.

"How did you escape?" Tom looked down at the ashen face girl next to him. Obviously reliving the memory had been hard on her.

He needed her to answer his questions so had no qualms about offering what comfort he could to draw her out. He put an arm around her shoulders and drew her against his side. Instantly, she burrowed her face into his chest and let out a small sob. He allowed her a few minutes to regain control before pushing her back and looking into her eyes.

"I…" she cleared her throat and her red rimmed eyes locked on his. "There was a disturbance in the manor the next day. I learned later that they had captured the Golden Trio who also managed to escape after about an hour or so. During the confusion, I was able to use my magic to unlock the cell door. I was so frightened and angry that I lashed out at one of them men standing guard. He was the other man who spoke in that room I was tortured. I…I killed him instantly and was able to get away before seeing anyone else."

Ah, Tom thought, hence why she had locked up her magic. She was afraid of its power.

"He would have done much worse to you if you had been caught. Your magic was protecting you." Although he had slowly introduced her to darker spells, he knew she still felt uncomfortable with the idea of killing or torture.

"Who are Fenrir and the woman?" He needed to know the key players he had in the future; to look out for them for recruiting and to keep an eye on. They were loyal to him and he had no qualms about using what skills they had but they obviously needed supervision.

"Fenrir was one of your werewolves. He is the nastiest one that had a…horrible reputation." She shivered. "I only heard stories but from what I understood, you don't live through his…attentions."

She looked down and drew a deep breath.

"The woman is Bellatrix Lestrange, Black was her maiden name. She…she was your most devout follower, insane but completely loyal. Her stint in Azkaban did a number on her but she loved to torture and would follow you anywhere. She…she tortured my friend Hermione too. Carved into her arm with a cursed blade from what I heard. I guess I was lucky with only a few bouts of crucio but just being in the same room…" she trailed off and shivered. "Her laughter is always in my nightmares…right before Fenrir Greyback drags me off."

Kaylee gazed into the fire; lost in her thoughts. She knew that she would be dead if she hadn't escaped. Although horrified that her magic had killed a man, she had been grateful at the time. Later once the shock had worn off, she had made the constraints for her magic, promising herself to never use her magic in such a way again. She could see the futility of that vow when in the midst of a war but she had tried her best to only incapacitate her opponent enough to get away. Only at the battle did she release her magic to use; there had been no running away there.

Tom's voice broke into her thoughts. "I assume that was your encounter with Nagini?"

"Yes, I assume she was just playing with my emotions by intimidating me…not that I needed any more incentive to be frightened. I was out of it after the crucios but I could hear her…slither around me and over me." She shivered again involuntarily. "I had always been ok with snakes until then. After that, the sound puts me on edge."

"I will instruct her to not harm you but I expect you to work on becoming at least comfortable in her presence. She is my familiar now after all and that future Nagini does not exist." He merely looked at her steadily where she could not decipher what he was thinking.

She was not surprised by his stoic response to her memory. Kaylee knew he used torture on his knights and was comfortable with dark curses. Although she was still wary about the darkness in him, she had come to terms with the fact that it was a part of him. As long as it was not directed at her, she could learn to deal with it for now. She hated the compromise but it was necessary. He would continue in his quest for power with or without her help and would continue to utilize dark magic which he excelled in. Her only hope was to use what little influence she had over him to limit the damage his quest would have over the wizarding world. In order to accomplish that, she had to make some concessions.

Shadow, sensing his mistress's discomfort over the past hour, jumped into her lap so she could cuddle him closer. She felt some of her tension ease with his presence; she always appreciated the powers animals possessed to alleviate stress in their human. It was part of the reason why she had caved so readily to Thad's insistence yesterday. After the last hour, she decided not to bring up her conversation to Tom quite yet. She needed time to regroup.

"I think I'm a little worn out do another memory for today." Her shoulders slumped in relief when he nodded at her absently. She could see he was still processing what he had seen and learned. It was always fascinating to her to watch him think so critically after seeing one of her memories. She could literally see his brain gearing up to life and processing at a faster pace than she could ever dream of. It was no wonder he would become equal to someone of Dumbledore's stature, if on the other side. Actually, she had seen quite a few similarities between the two since she had come here.

Albus Dumbledore, while firmly in the light, had sought and achieved great power in their world. After his defeat of Grindlewald, he took several mantles of power including Headmaster and managed to keep his positions until he died. She had always looked up to him as a scion for light but she could also see some tendencies that he berated Tom for having in the man himself. He had also sought power, via a different route and had used his influence to his advantage. Dumbledore had kept information to himself; only doling out what he deemed necessary. Although he claimed to be a champion for equality among the different wizarding classes, he never utilized his power to facilitate change.

At least Lord Voldemort had used his power to accomplish what he had wanted, even if it had been a horrible idea and killed hundreds of people. She could appreciate the drive it had taken and the ruthless cunning Tom must have utilized to make his movement happen. Starting out as an orphaned half-blood, he had turned the wizarding world on its head. Kaylee looked at the man sitting next to her. Hopefully, with her small influence, Tom can turn his drive and greed for power to bring more positive changes to their world. She was under no illusion that war and people dying was avoidable; Tom had pointed that out himself months ago and she had thought a lot about it. He was right; no matter how he went about it, some people would resist and force would be necessary.

Dumbledore would say that the risk would not outweigh the benefits of the changes; therefore keeping the status quo was preferable. Hence why nothing happened during Dumbledore's reign of power for the next few years. No matter what changes Tom sought to make, he would be a direct threat to Dumbledore's power base and would use Tom's darker side to influence people like Harry Potter and Hermione to fight for his side. All under the illusion that because he was not dark, his way was the right way.

"I sense your familiar has a magical aura as well as Nagini. He is a wolf correct?" Tom was looking at the sleeping puppy in her arms.

"Yes, the shopkeeper declared I needed a familiar and he was the right one for me." She smiled down at the pup, "I will admit, he is nice to have around. I sense he will be a strong companion when he grows up…after some training that is." She laughed softly, thinking of his puppy antics this morning; pouncing on the ribbon and bows from her presents.

"I am sure he will calm down as he grows older, else Nagini will likely bite him in annoyance in the future." Tom smirked at her, "She will probably have a short temper like her master."

Kaylee smirked right back. "I already saw that last night when she hissed at him for trying to sniff her while she was trying to sleep."

A few minutes later, Tom and Kaylee headed to the Great Hall for Christmas lunch with Shadow trailing their heels happily. Although still emotionally spent, Kaylee was actually grateful to have gotten the memory out of the way. Tom had been surprisingly supportive as she broke down crying. She knew it was more than likely out of a manipulation to let her guard down rather than actual concern, it gave her hope that it was a sign of humanity that she had not seen in his future self. She was sure the New Year would bring even more changes…and she was curiously excited and dreading what would come.


	9. Chapter 9

"Dorea!" Kaylee ran over to hug her friend. Break had ended and the students were returning today. She had been watching for the carriages so she could greet her friend.

"Kaylee! How was your break? You didn't lock yourself in the library too much did you?" Dorea gave her a mock glare.

"Of course not," Kaylee grinned, "only a couple hours of day. I even went to Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade a couple of times. I also spent some time training this little guy." She motioned to her feet where Shadow was practically shaking with the need to greet the new person. Kaylee had been working hard to curb his enthusiasm over the last week.

"You got a familiar?!" Dorea bent down to pet the wolf, "What is he? Is he even allowed at school?"

Shadow bounded forward at Kaylee's nod to give kisses to Dorea's face. The girl laughed while trying to pet the dog and hold him away from licking her all over.

"I had to get permission from Professor Dumbledore but since this little guy has some magical heritage, he said it would be ok. His name is Shadow by the way." She called the little wolf back to her side and the two girls headed into the castle.

"He's adorable but he isn't the biggest thing that happened over break."

Kaylee looked over to see a mischievous grin on her friend's face.

"Oh? Did something happen to you?"

Rather than speaking, Dorea held out her hand to show off her new ring.

"Charlus proposed?! Om my God Dorea! I didn't know you guys were getting so serious!" She was happy for her friends; it was just hard to remember that marriage happened much quicker in the wizarding world than the muggle. Although, she supposed, in this era, marriage generally happened around this time in both worlds.

"Well, we've been spending quite a bit of time together and I determined quite a ways back that he would suit me much better than any suitor my parents would find." Dorea grimaced. "The candidates they had in mind were horrid, there was no way I was going to be stuck with some cousin or something. Charlus invited me over for Christmas dinner and proposed that night, so I accepted." Her friend smiled wistfully, "He was completely awkward about it, fell over trying to get down on his knee and stuttered through the whole thing." She sighed wistfully, "It was perfect."

Kaylee giggled, picturing the scene in her head. That sounded exactly like Charlus.

"Are your parents ok with the match?" She knew the Blacks were pretty…strict about marriages and blood purity. Charlus was a pureblood but the Potters were generally lax about the subject compared to other families.

Dorea sniffed. "I told my parents I accepted and they could either wish us congratulations or burn me off the tapestry. I could care less about maintaining the Black legacy, I would much rather be happy than sold to the highest bidder just to maintain _**purity**_. They graciously decided that he would do since he was at least a pureblood and my brother Orion had already made a…more than acceptable match to that horrible woman Walburga."

Kaylee wrinkled her nose. She had heard about Walburga Black, none of it good. She had never been to the Black home but she had heard a few stories from Hermione during their study sessions together. She was glad her friend had stood up for herself to ensure she had a better life.

"Well I am thrilled for you two! Where is the lucky man? I want to congratulate him on making the best decision of his life."

Dorea smiled and bumped her shoulder as they sat down in the Great Hall. Dorea had taken to eating with Kaylee at the Ravenclaw table, declaring the company was much better than at her old table.

"I always knew you were a smart one." She smirked at Kaylee. "I told Charlus to ride with his buddies so I wouldn't have to endure the rowdiness all the way up to the castle."

Kaylee laughed, "they are a little rambunctious at times, aren't they?"

A few minutes later, Kaylee spotted Charlus and his group of friends walk in through the doors. She waved and gave him a thumbs up. He smiled broadly at her and made his way over.

"I see you snatched the best girl in school up before anyone else could." She smiled at Charlus as he sat down across from them.

"Had to, couldn't have another bloke moving in on my girl." He gave Dorea a broad grin, "You ladies been swooning over my smooth moves during the proposal? I assume she told you how utterly romantic I was."

Kaylee tried but failed to hide her laughing grin, "I heard something about almost doing a face plant…"

Charlus glared at his fiancée. "We agreed to not speak of that." He put on a serious expression and looked at Kaylee. "My proposal was flawless. I swept the fair lady off her feet with my romance and poetry."

Kaylee waited, watching him closely. Charlus began to squirm, and then he broke.

"Damn it! I can't keep a straight face when you look at me like that!" He banged his head on the table. "Alright, it was a complete disaster. I tripped over my loose shoelace on my way down and then promptly forgot everything I had memorized with my Dad."

Kaylee laughed, "Well, she said yes so it couldn't have been that bad."

Dorea giggled, "It was terrible, I couldn't understand a word he said until he got to the part about actually asking me to marry him." She reached across the table to take his hand. "Of course, none of it mattered because it was you asking me."

Charlus looked up with a smile. "Yeah?" When Dorea nodded, he perked up even more. "Well of course! I'm a catch!" He looked at the two girls intently, "But this story ends here. I already told my boys my great love story and won't have you birds making me a laughingstock."

Kaylee and Dorea both laughed but agreed.

Entering into the new year, the seventh years were confronted with the realization that NEWTs were right around the corner and then graduation. Homework loads and dire warnings from professors to study became commonplace during the weeks of January and February. Kaylee found herself in the library more often than not to keep up on the increased workload. Dorea and Tom shared her table constantly attending their own studies. Charlus would join sporadically, he still maintained a Quidditch practice schedule and wouldn't come to the table if Tom was there.

Kaylee had given up trying to get the boys to interact cordially. She had a feeling the rivalry would continue to Charlus' grandson regardless of what she did to change things. The future barely entered her thoughts during the spring months however; her NEWTs took preference over everything else. Tom was also focused on his studies as well as preparing his knights for their futures after Hogwarts. Between the two, she rarely saw him outside the library. Although he maintained his small physical affections in public to ensure she wouldn't receive attention from any other possible suitors. She rolled her eyes at the thought. Men.

In fact, Tom had been given much thought to the future and Kaylee's place in it. Of course, he had not let her in on his plans yet. Tom was not concerned about his NEWTs, he had been above his peers for years now and had no doubt he would do well. His focus lay primarily with placing his knights in key places in the wizarding world. Their inside knowledge of the Ministry and various departments would be essential in his quest for power. Several of his followers including Malfoy and Nott would be shadowing their fathers to prepare for their eventual placements in the Wizamgot. These hereditary positions would provide Tom with internal leverage in future legislation. The other boys would be scattered among Ministry departments like the Unspeakables, Aurors, and other essential places where information could be used.

Tom had spent a good portion of Christmas break researching the bond he had chosen to tie Kaylee to himself. Astronomy became a particular interest to him when he saw the correlation between certain astronomical events and the strength of a bond. The rarer the event, the stronger the bond. After researching extensively on when and what event would be occurring, he found what he had been looking for. One of the rarest forms, a Total Solar Eclipse, would be occurring on March 29 of this year. Given this event occurs once every 140 years or so, it would create a bond of astronomical strength between the two. The ritual was fairly simple to perform but the bond created had not been made for hundreds of years due to its…particular end result.

"You are still performing the end flourish incorrectly." Tom was watching her from the side of the room where Kaylee was practicing a new curse he had found that morning.

She huffed in frustration. They had already been dueling for 45 minutes before he began teaching her the spell and she could feel exhaustion setting in. After her late night study session, her mind was sluggish and the duel had been a nightmare.

"I…I think I'm too tired to do this right now. I can't concentrate well enough to learn something new." Despite her words, she raised her wand to try again. She hated quitting and giving up right now would be just that.

"Stop." Tom strolled up behind her and placed his hand over hers holding her wand. "Close your eyes," he whispered in her ear. After she complied, he guided their hands through the complicated movement. "Your frustration is hindering you. Allow your magic to guide you."

He had always been more comfortable about that than she. Although she had not put her constraints back, she struggled with utilizing her magic in the same way he did.

"I think I have it now." He stepped away from her and she squared her shoulder. Her wand moved as she said forcefully, "excaecatio!"

"Good." Tom turned her around by her shoulders. His eyes studied hers for a long moment. "You are working too hard. You will do fine on your NEWTs but you will not without proper rest."

"I will rest once my NEWTs are done. There is still too much to do right now." She started to turn away so she could gather her bag, already thinking what books she would be needing for her next assignment.

He didn't let her go but forced her closer to him and raised her gaze to his with a finger under her chin.

"I have plans for you little messenger and they do not include you fainting from exhaustion. Do not make me force you to take rest; you will not like my methods."

She stiffened, her mind racing with what "methods" he meant. Gathering her courage, she glared at him.

"My studies are important, you cannot dictate my study schedule. If I feel I need to study, that is my business."

Rather than arguing he yanked her to his chest and initiated a forceful kiss. Without waiting for permission, his tongue forced its way into her mouth and dueled with her own. Kaylee whimpered at the sheer heat of the act and gripped his shoulders for support. Closing her eyes, she gave into the utterly decadent feeling of Tom's embrace.

So lost in the kiss, Kaylee failed to notice Tom's wand pointed at her temple.

He caught her as she slumped against him. A necessary sleeping spell would ensure she slept until tomorrow morning. Apparating back to her room, he laid her on the bed and left. Tom fully expected an earful tomorrow regarding his actions but at least she wouldn't be dropping of exhaustion while she did it.

Tom was highly amused when Kaylee kept a close eye on him for the next several weeks. He dipped into her mind to see her thoughts centered on if he would put her to sleep again. Each time this happened, he would raise an eyebrow at her in question and she would blush and resume her work. She never failed to get a full night's sleep again however which amused Tom all the more.

Kaylee felt a hand on her shoulder, trying to shake her awake.

"Five more minutes Luna," she mumbled sleepily as she burrowed back into her pillow.

"Wake up Kaylee, I want to show you something." Kaylee's eyes fluttered open at Tom's voice next to her ear.

"Tom?" she asked quietly, "What are you doing here?"

He didn't answer but handed her the heaviest cloak she owned. "Put this on, it will be cold where we are going." His face was expressionless, not giving her any clues about what he was up to.

Knowing if she dawdled, he would merely apparate her away cloaked or not, she hastily pulled the cloak around her shoulders and slid her fuzzy boots on that Dorea had given her for Christmas.

As soon as the second shoe slipped on, Tom pulled her into his chest and apparated them away.

They appeared in a small meadow with snowcapped mountains towering around them. There was still some snow under the surrounding pine trees but Kaylee couldn't make out much beyond the first ring. She looked to Tom who was setting down a few items by a large boulder in the clearing.

"What did you want to show me?" She was getting a little nervous about his lack of dialogue and didn't see anything of note in the clearing that would prompt their visit.

He walked back to her slowly, "Did you know tonight a rare astronomical event is occurring? Look up."

She tilted her head to the sky and gasped. The sky looked even bigger up in the mountains, millions of stars dotted the black as far as the eye could see. And hanging right above them, the moon shown bright red. It was giant; larger than she had ever seen it before.

"What…what is it?" she asked, still observing the moon in awe.

"It is called a Total Lunar Eclipse. Quite a powerful event in our world." His tone sent shivers down her spine as she brought her gaze back to his face.

"In what way?" she asked, her voice shaky and barely above a whisper. Kaylee sensed something deeper was going to happen tonight than merely observing the moon's altered appearance.

He stepped closer to her, only a foot remained between them. His eyes were intent on her own, a heat in his gaze she had only seen a few times before. Mainly when some plan of his was about to come into fruition.

"Rituals performed under such an event gain an extra dimension of power…bondings are a good example of such a ritual." His gaze held a wealth of meaning.

A conversation months before came back to her. She had inquired about the small silver book he had purchased, asking if it had provided him the insight he sought. He had smirked at her and told her its contents had…intrigued him. He had asked her thoughts on ancient bondings and she hadn't known much about them at that point. She had done research after their conversation of course and determined they weren't in practice anymore due to most people's preferences for a more simple way to connect with one another. The bondings he had spoken of were powerful to be sure, but the requirements to attempt one…

"Why did you bring me here Tom?" she asked in a quiet voice. She sincerely hoped she was wrong in her conclusion.

"My little messenger," he tilted her head up to his and pressed a light kiss to her lips, "I think you know exactly why we are here."

Her heart stuttered at his words. He wanted to… _ **Bond**_ with her?! Was he insane? She wasn't going to bond herself to Lord Voldemort! The idea of it…she shuddered.

"Why would you want something like that?" she cried, trying to escape his grasp.

He wrapped an arm around her waist and brought her closer despite her struggles. His arm felt like a steel band, trapping her in this nightmare.

"I have already told you that you were mine little one, this will merely cement our relationship. I had already begun contemplating on how to tie you to me permanently when I happened upon the book. It was an elegant solution. I will seal you to me in the most permanent way possible as well as gain the power of your magic for myself. In return, you will be guaranteed a place by my side during my rise to power."

"And I'm supposed to just accept that?! You want to bind me to you so you can draw on my magic and use me as some…some crystal ball for the future?!" She was beyond furious. He had played her from the very beginning; he had planned this for months!

His magic flared with his anger and battered against her own.

"Our magics call to one another, I know you can sense it. This was meant to be, my future self knew this. This is why you were chosen Kaylee; you have been mine from the beginning."

She whimpered as his magic swept hers in a tidal wave that broke through the clearing; a strong wind shook the trees nearest them.

"Am I to just lose myself in you? Will there be nothing left of me once you have what you seek? Once you solidify your rule, what will you do with me then? I will not let you wither me away until I am just a shell of who I am today."

His magic drew back from its onslaught at her words. His hand gentled on her chin and slid to the back of her neck to tangle in her brown hair.

His tone gentled at his next words but were no less forceful.

"You know that the bonding I seek requires sacrifices to be made from both parties. I would not tie myself to someone who could not hold her own against me. Our magics compatibility was only the first clue; you yourself convinced me this was the right course when you argued with me about the future. Your words and passion showed me that you would be worthy of being my partner."

She stilled at his words. Kaylee knew a bonding required both parties to enter willingly and sacrifice something to the other. Her conflict must have shown in her face because Tom's magic began to flow through her again but at a gentler pace. Despite her mind's indecision, her magic rose up to meet his in welcome.

Thad's advice came back to her at that moment. She had thought about the animal caretaker often and their conversation. He and Tom had told her repeatedly that she needed to trust her magic more. Was she limiting herself because of her fear? She hated the idea of being a coward and limiting her potential because of it. At Tom's side, she could do so much for the world. Was the opportunity worth the risk thought? She knew Tom didn't love her; the entire thought behind the bonding was to gain access to her magic and knowledge of the future. Could she enter into a bonding, so much more binding than even marriage, with someone who would probably never love her?

She looked up at him. His dark brown eyes were watching her closely but he was giving her time to think about his…proposal. _More like a command_ , she thought irritably. She would be spending most of her life deciding which commands of his to either follow or refute which sounded tiring but also a little exciting. Her life would never be boring that was for sure. Her magic surged from her as she realized she had made her choice. God help her.

"I accept."


	10. Chapter 10

Tom's smile was dark with satisfaction at her words. He knew she would agree one way or the other but he… _appreciated_ her relatively quick compliance. Her trust in him would be all the stronger without having to resort to his contingency plans for her acceptance; she would not have been as pleasant during the ritual.

Tom nonverbally called the small silver knife to his hand. He kept his eyes on Kaylee's as he handed her the weapon. He saw her study the runes inscribed along the blade; sure she recognized some of them.

"To ensure it was done correctly, I personally drew the runes onto the knife. They are a necessary part of the _Unitatis Magicae Bond_."

She nodded slowly and looked back into his eyes. "I only briefly glanced at the book; you are going to have to guide me through this."

Tom's magic roared with approval at her words, she was already differing to him which appealed to his dominant personality. Although he knew she can and would in the future stand up to him when it was important to her, she was not above admitting ignorance or asking for assistance, something he internally admired about her even if it was admitting to weakness. And of course, he would be all too willing to provide her this whenever needed.

"Before we begin, allow your magic to run freely. It will help guide you and will interact with mine as they meld during the ceremony." He watched her take a deep breath; a shaky hand tucking her brown hair behind an ear. Slowly, he felt her magic permeate the air around him, calling to his own. He allowed it to answer the call and the two began an intricate dance with her music as the melody. A soft breeze shook the trees and grass around them and they both began to emit a soft glow.

"What…What's happening?" she gasped. Kaylee had not read anything about her body glowing.

"Our intent for bonding has already begun the process; the magic within us is acknowledging that decision." His dark eyes held hers intently. "The silver knife is a pure element that will draw our blood, to be mingled together…bonding our bodies. Cut both of your palms and hold them out for me, allowing your blood to drip onto the earth. It will ground the ceremony with the world around us."

Blood magic. She knew many of the old bonds required it but she still shivered with the implication. It had been frowned upon for many years now due to its often nefarious uses. Blood can be used for power over others…she closed her eyes and took a deep breath. The bonding required submission on her part, she knew that. As the stronger partner in magic, Tom would take the dominant role even though he would still have to make a sacrifice to her as well. She held onto that assurance.

She hissed as she slid the sharp blade across both palms. Handing the bloody knife to Tom, she held her shaking hands out, palms up. The blood pooled their and slowly dripped into the grass, the soil soaking it in. A strong wind rose in response and her magic increased its tempo in the dance around them.

Holding her gaze, Tom reciprocated the cuts and dropped the knife into the ground between them, hilt up. Placing his hands over hers, he grasped hers firmly and said firmly, " _unum corpus_."

Their bodies glowed brighter and their clothes vanished from them. There would be no barriers tonight.

Kaylee blushed in embarrassment but held firm to his hands. Her eyes took in his sculpted chest and the small trail of dark brown hair leading down to…she stopped herself. Time enough for that later.

Tom smirked. He had had several women in the past few years, mostly for experimentation or potential political gains. After the last, he had viewed sex as more of an inconvenience and distraction from his other goals and had promptly moved on from the activity. However, he was not above enjoying what would be offered him tonight; her magic alone aroused him like no other had before.

Both were drawn out of their thoughts when their magic began to swirl around them, forming a shield between them and the outside world. Tom let go of her hands and wordlessly healed their cuts. He noticed a small silver band forming around his ring finger but did not draw Kaylee's attention to it.

The ritual's words floated through his mind.

"What do you offer?" He did not touch her; the bonding required her to make the choice without _any_ interference from him, physical or otherwise. This ensured the purity of the bond growing between them. He could already feel their magics growing more in sync.

She closed her eyes for several moments before locking onto his own. Her green eyes showed brilliantly against their dancing magic and he could see the fire of her strong spirit in them.

"I offer my devotion to you and your cause. I will stand with you during the quest you have made." She paused, "I also offer my counsel; to be your guide when you stray too far down the path of darkness."

She looked up at him defiantly. Kaylee knew he understood she was saying he _would_ eventually stray and she was ensuring that she would be there to stop him.

He dipped his head in acknowledgement. He may not like it but they had already agreed this was part of the reason she had been sent back.

"What do you offer?" she returned to the ritual, satisfied that he had received her warning and accepted her stipulation for entering the bond. That offering might be her saving grace in the future.

He gave her a small smile; amusement lit his eyes as he replied.

"I offer my protection from those who would cause you harm…including myself. I also offer my strength of will and mind for when you may not be sure of the way."

Sneaky bastard. Although the first part was a pleasant surprise, especially with the caveat of himself. But the second, he was ensuring that she would remain loyal to him when faced with adversity from friend or foe. It was a reminder that she was going to be bound to _him_ , no longer her past friends.

She sighed softly but dipped her head to him also. He had given her the priceless gift of his protection, being the powerful wizard he was and had agreed to her stipulation. It was what she had hoped for when she agreed to the bonding. She just hoped it would be enough to save the lives she hoped to.

He grasped her hands again, and said, " _animus unitas spiritus."_

Kaylee felt their magic sync even further; the melody of her magic changed into a more serious composition. Most likely to begin accommodating Tom's darker magic. She was pleased to note that the lightness of her magic had not dimmed as it melded with his.

" _Can you hear me?"_ Tom's voice reverberated in her mind. She reeled. Was this part of the bond?!

" _Tom?"_ Her mind voice was hesitant, unsure of what was happening.

" _Yes. This is one of the many powers of the bond being formed."_ Before she could reply he added, _"It will only occur when you are actively seeking the contact. Otherwise, your thoughts will remain your own."_

" _I see, I think. We will have to discuss this later. I had no idea this was possible."_ Her shock had prevented her from noticing the ritual had progressed to the next step; their magic.

Tom felt his magic rush through him and into her from their mental contact. _This_ was the most important step in his mind, the joining of their magics, even if it wasn't the last. There would be no directing at this point, their magics instinctively knew what to do and sought the other's magical core.

He felt his wrap around her core tightly, asserting its dominance and right to be there. This was the first time he had been so close and he examined it closely. Where his was dark, overpowering, and dominantly possessiveness, hers was…light itself. He could feel the music he had always vaguely sensed flowing out of her in colorful waves of light, the melody had become hauntingly beautiful as it melded with his. His mind shied away from the feelings the image evoked in him.

Simultaneously, Kaylee's magic had begun to wrap around Tom's magical core. It soothed the ragged edges and he felt his magic become more focused, controlled. _This_ is why he had chosen this bond. Her magic had the unique ability to work with his magic, to make it even more powerful than it already was. Kaylee's very essence would guarantee that the madness and uncontrollable existence he had led in her future would not come to pass. She would be the critical factor in ensuring his mind and magic remained stable and his to control.

Kaylee shook under the force of his dominant possession of her body, mind, and core. It felt oppressing in its overwhelming strength and she fought to balance it with her own. She knew it was critical that she surrender to his presence just as he would have to within himself as her magic reached his core. But it was difficult, his magic was much darker than her own and the difference was hard for her to accept. Thad's imagery of his bond came to Kaylee's mind during her struggle. He had been like a solid tree and he had described his wife as the wind. The wind could be a strong presence but often surrendered to dominant forces.

She closed her eyes and focused on the image. That was the key, the two worked together _only_ if both sides acknowledged the strengths and weaknesses of the other. The tree couldn't move and adapt as easily as the wind could but held strong during a storm. Tom was her tree, his firm roots centered in his knowledge and power that would guide him through life and anchor her. In return, she would be able to shift him softly in the direction he needed to go and soften the rigidity of his controlled existence; allowing for the opportunity of change when needed.

Kaylee allowed her magic to be blown away by his; merging with it completely. She was relieved to feel its strong presence even though she couldn't see it. His darker tones overtook her light but her melody orchestrated the movement. She could feel the power they were creating under the red moon; it was suffusing both of them now that their magics had melded completely.

She opened her eyes to see Tom's blazing brown orbs staring back at her.

" _Unitatis Magicae."_ His tone was deep with satisfaction. His hand grabbed her shoulders and drew her against his chest with purpose.

"Now little messenger, now we finish it."

His lips crashed against hers and she opened for him instinctively. Their magic roared around them in approval and she felt a wave of desire and satisfaction roll off of him and into her mind. She whimpered under the onslaught and clung to his shoulders.

She felt him push her down and he settled himself between her thighs; his hard cock pressed into her stomach as he continued his assault on her mouth. Her hands traced his back and shoulders before gripping him tightly when he began pressing hot, open mouthed kisses along her neck and collarbone.

She gasped in shock and aroused pain as he nipped her roughly between her neck and chest. She could feel his grin against her skin as his hand skimmed up to lightly pinch a nipple. Her back arched up and her chest pressed against him as she moaned. Heat shot straight to her core when he repeated the pinch before taking the nipple into his mouth and sucking strongly.

Her hips bucked against him at his ministrations and he grinded his cock into her wet core. Switching to the other nipple with his mouth, his hand grasped both of hers and lifted them over her head. With a wordless sticking charm, he left them there and brought his hands down to cradle her face and looked into her eyes.

"You are untouched?" He asked her, knowing full well she was a virgin. He wanted verbal confirmation however; to know that she was _his_ completely. _No other_ would ever possess her in this way.

"Yes." She whispered softly, a deep blush rising from her chest into her face.

She sucked in a breath as he smiled at her and dipped a finger down to slide along her clit. Her hips jerked against him and he moved away slightly. His finger slowly drew circles around the protruded nub and she moaned, shaking her head from side to side.

"Look at me." Once her passion filled eyes met his, he continued, "No other may see or touch you like this, do you understand? **You. Are. Mine.** "

She nodded frantically when he thrust two fingers into her pussy; her walls clamping down immediately at the intrusion. He moved over her swiftly and positioned himself above her. Her hips were rising constantly under him as his fingers moved in and out of her.

He stopped and withdrew his fingers, smiling darkly at her whimpers.

"Say it. Say you are mine Kaylee and I will give you what you want." She moaned again as he softly drew his finger across her clit, not giving her the satisfaction that he knew she craved.

Her body shuddered under him; unconsciously fighting his dominance and possession over her. He continued his soft ministrations, rubbing her clit up one side and down the other. She shook with the need to come but he withdrew his finger each time she drew close. He could see her pull at the binding on her hands, wordlessly struggling against his command.

It only took another two minutes before she broke, their magic sweeping outwards at her words.

"I'm yours Tom." She whimpered, raising her hips frantically to gain the needed friction.

He leant down and pressed a light kiss to her lips. "Good girl."

He rubbed her clit firmly, short and fast circles until she screamed her release. Without stopping, he thrust into her firmly, breaking her hymen during the height of her pleasure. His hands gripped her hips, holding her in place.

He stilled when he was seated firmly within her, allowing her to adjust and come down from her high. Her walls clamped down on his cock with wet heat that tested his control. She panted heavily, looking up at him with wide eyes. Her pleasure and surrender shown through and he growled low in his throat before pulling out and thrusting in sharply.

Kaylee gasped at the sensation of his possession, his cock felt huge inside of her. The initial pain of his entry was lost in the sea of her orgasm and all she could feel was the pleasure of his possession. His thrusting began at a slow pace, allowing her time to adjust to the movement. Their magic swirled around and in them, the sheer power of the moment taking the pleasure to further heights.

Her legs wrapped around him without conscious thought and she began meeting him at each thrust. His pace increased and he angled himself slightly different to hit a spot inside of her that had her seeing stars. His eyes never left hers as he increased his pace, hitting that spot over and over. She could feel herself winding up again, on the verge of release. The pleasure passing between them within the new mental bond and she felt the bonds tightening.

His hand snaked between them again and rubbed firmly over her clit. She broke with a series of high cries. He thrust into her three…four more times before releasing himself in her, sealing the bond. Their magic exploded from them, the force of it blowing the surrounding trees fiercely. She felt a burn on her finger but was too exhausted to investigate at the moment.

He panted into her neck for several moments before drawing back to look her in the eye. Her unfocused gaze met his.

" _You are mine now little one, can you feel the bond?"_ His mind voice was filled with satisfaction.

She reached into herself and felt a silver link to the man above and inside her. It pulsed with power and felt stronger than any metal she could think of. There would be no breaking such a bond.

" _A_ _nimam unum_ _."_ His mind voiced whispered to her; the soul bond was complete.


	11. Chapter 11

Kaylee sleepily acknowledged Walden McNair's presence at her side and turned to the path around the lake they jogged each morning. After Tom had dropped her back at her room, she had collapsed into sleep the moment her head hit her pillow. The ritual had taken a toll on her energy and had used a substantial amount of her magic causing her to sleep deeply. She had had to drag herself out of bed for the run but did not want to give any indication to McNair or anyone else that something had happened last night.

"You look more tired than usual." McNair's deep voice penetrated the sleepy fog over her mind. She glanced at him in surprise; she couldn't remember exchanging _any_ conversations since starting to jog together. Walden was an extremely quiet man that seemed content to observe the world around him rather than actively participate.

"I've been studying a lot…for NEWTs. They are getting closer and I want to do well." She hoped she sounded convincing, her mind was not running at peak efficiency. Kaylee wasn't sure if Tom planned on telling his knights about their bond and _she_ wasn't going to bring it up first.

McNair nodded. "That could be the cause, but you seem…different this morning." He stopped their jog with a touch at her elbow, turning her to look at him. "Are you…alright?" He seemed cautious, most likely because he didn't want to step over any boundaries Tom had set but he also seemed…concerned.

"Different? I…I don't know what you mean." Her voice came out much too shaky for her comfort but he couldn't possibly know about last night, right?

"Your aura or magical signature is slightly different and you have this." He reached for her left hand and held it up between them. There on her ring finger, a silver band of runes were etched into her skin.

She stared. _How_ had she not noticed _that?_ She vaguely remembered a burning sensation on her finger last night but with everything else happening, she hadn't really paid attention.

"I…"Her voice trailed off. What could she say? She looked up into his dark eyes with a worried and slightly panicked expression.

He dropped her hand and motioned her to continue their run.

"I have seen something like that before on my grandmother, I doubt many others will even notice or know what it is." He glanced at her briefly. "I was not trying to scare you Kaylee."

She almost stumbled, he had never called her by name before and he seemed actually concerned for her.

He continued before she could reply, "I only brought it up because…I want to make sure you are alright." His voice had gotten softer.

"Why do you care?" she asked, genuinely curious now. He rarely spoke to her and was only there under Tom's orders. Why take an interest in her now?

"I have been required to spend a good deal of time with you over the last few months," he smirked slightly at her, "but I believe you are a genuinely good person. I know that I have already committed to… _him,_ but I would try to…assist you if you needed help." He seemed unsure of himself by the end, as if not sure what he really _could_ do.

"Thank you Walden," she said softly. Kaylee was rather touched at the man's concern. He had always seemed different to the other boys, quieter and more mature. She just hoped his concern for her wouldn't get him into trouble.

"I am alright though. The…the bond had to be _willing._ " She stressed the word, hoping he understood the implication. It had been her choice to accept although she thought they both knew there was little chance of her denying Tom if it was something he truly wanted.

McNair nodded again. "My grandmother said as much but I also know Tom…"

There was nothing much else to say. They both knew the situation and had to be committed to their decisions regarding their loyalty to Tom. Without saying anything else, they finished their jog and parted for their separate dorms.

April found every seventh year in the library either studying or passed out between NEWTs. The exams extended over two weeks and each included written and practical portions. The bond was pushed to the back of Kaylee's mind during the weeks except during her practical portion of exams. Her magic had changed dramatically because of the bond and she had to adjust her output of power several times to not alert the professors. A small notice-me-not charm kept most eyes from noticing the silver band; glamours had not worked much to Kaylee's chagrin and Tom's amusement.

A brief break was given during the second week of exams when news reached Britain that Grindlewald had been defeated by their very own Transfiguration Professor, Dumbledore. Although Tom had been annoyed over the news, especially considering the country was hailing his hated nemesis a hero, Kaylee was grateful for the reprieve in studying. Although she had to spend most of the day trying to calm Tom down from the news.

"Why didn't you tell me about this?" He asked her. They had returned to his room for some privacy since the library and both his and her common rooms were packed with students.

"I didn't really think it was important." He gave her a credulous stare. "I mean, it didn't pertain to your rise to power so I guess it didn't seem necessary to bring up."

"You do realize this will gain him significant power in our world. Not only is he in line to be Headmaster of Hogwarts soon but I know of several positions in the Wizamgot are being offered to him, including Minister of Magic!" He had all but shouted at her. Tom rarely raised his voice which let Kaylee knew he was extremely angry about this.

"He won't accept most of them, including minister." She looked at him beseechingly. "Yes, he will be Headmaster soon and will take a few positions but he will never _use_ the power given to him. We already talked about this. It's one of the reasons I lost trust in him this year; the realization that he had the power to make change and didn't."

"It would have made my job bloody easier if he hadn't gained the power in the first place."

She placed a hand on his arm, allowing her magic to flow into him, calming the stormy edges.

"I am sorry for not telling you but I think there will be certain events that will have to still pass regardless of any changes you make. We've read through every time related book that we could get our hands on and I'm sure you have read more than me, considering your lack of restraint on dark magic. Some pivotal moments will not be able to change without ripping the timeline apart. I think this is one of them."

She felt his magic settle as his anger receded. He turned to regard her closely, "We will discuss the… _important_ events that you believe to be unchangeable tonight so that this doesn't happen again, understood?"

She sighed. Kaylee would have to go through her memory of what important events she could remember in history that would fit this type of situation before they talked. History had never been her strong subject.

Lost in her thoughts, she failed to notice the shift in Tom's magic as it began to dance with her own.

Tom directed his magic to caress hers in a sensual manner, slowly drawing her attention back to him. He was still…annoyed over the incident but it didn't honestly change his plans. As much as it irked him, she was correct in that there were events that would have to remain. But that didn't mean he couldn't enjoy a small punishment over her actions, he needed to be sure she wouldn't keep information from him, ever.

He smiled darkly as he watched her breathing increase and a flush rush into her face. Still so modest even after their multiple afternoons together. As much as he had thought sex was a chore before the bond, he had to admit it was an excellent way to relieve stress or frustration…and the added bonus of melding their magic more closely during physical intimacy made the act even more appealing.

He waved his hand and her clothing vanished. She squeaked and her hands came up to cover herself before seeing his dark look. They had already discussed this before; she would not hide herself from him… _ever._ She was his, meaning her body was also. Tom watched as she forced her hands back to her sides.

Without saying anything, he gripped her hips and pulled her against his still clothed body and brought his mouth down to hers. She whimpered at his forceful kiss and brought her hands up to toy with the hair at the nape of his neck. Something he quite enjoyed to his surprise.

Stroking her tongue with his own, he backed her up to the bed and guided her down. Releasing her hips, he flipped her over onto her stomach. His cock hardened to the point of pain in his trousers, desperate to be free of its restraint. Ignoring his own need for the moment, he wandlessly bound her hands to the bed above her head and pulled her up onto her hands and knees.

Leaning over her, he whispered into her ear. "Since I cannot use my usual methods of punishment on you little one, I am going to have to be creative." She gasped at his implication and tugged at her hands futilely. He chuckled at her movements causing her to release a small growl.

"What are you going to do?" Her voice was breathless and her chest heaved with her fast breathing.

"Oh, I think we will both enjoy this sweetling…although I might enjoy the beginning more."

He trailed his hand lightly down her spine, watching the small shivers that wracked her body. Skimming over the curve of her delightful round cheek, he dipped a finger into her folds. She whimpered as his finger skimmed her wet pussy and toyed with her clit.

"Already wet for me?" He chuckled again when she growled at him. He removed his hand from her despite her whine of protest and removed his clothes. Coming back to her, he leaned over her again until his chest was flush with her back.

"Now little girl, I think you have a punishment due." Before she could ask again what he intended, he slapped her ass…hard.

She yelped and struggled again with her bonds holding her in place. It was a good thing he had added a few to hold her legs in place as well. He smiled at her struggles and slapped her again.

"Stop! Why are you doing this?!" He traced a hand up and down her spine.

"I'm reminding you pet who's in control…and that you are not allowed to withhold information from me." He smacked her again at the curve between her cheek and thigh. He knew it was a tender spot on the body.

She yelped again and then whimpered when he traced a finger down to her wet pussy. Feeling her increased wetness, Tom had to forcefully remind himself to control. He toyed with her clit for several seconds before slapping her cheek again.

He kept up the rhythm for several minutes; alternating between slaps and rubbing her clit. By the two minute mark, she was arching her back to meet his swats and groaning between each one. He smiled as he withdrew from her pussy again and she whined loudly.

"Please!" she wiggled her body, trying to gain friction. Her pussy was soaking by this point and her clit was hard and swollen.

"Have you learned your lesson?" He asked as he positioned himself behind her. Running his cock up and down her pussy, he drew back every time she pushed towards him.

"Yes! Please Tom!" Her voice was desperate; he knew she would come the minute he was inside her.

"Alright pet, since you asked so politely." He grabbed her hips and thrust into her in one firm stroke.

Her pussy clamped down immediately as she tipped over the edge. Her scream of release echoed through the room. Tom was glad he had remembered silencing charms when they had come in.

Without giving her time to breathe, he pulled out until only his tip remained before thrusting back in harshly. She panted into his mattress and raised her hips; offering herself to him. Her submission pleased him so he snaked a hand around to play with her clit.

Keeping up his harsh thrusting, he drew hard then soft circles on the nub until he felt her squirming with renewed arousal. Feeling himself draw close to the edge, he pressed down on her clit firmly and demanded, "Come now Kaylee."

She broke with a loud moan, her pussy clamping on him like a vice. He growled as he released himself in her, holding her in place until his cock finished twitching inside of her.

After withdrawing, he released her bonds and lay down next to her. Waving a hand above them lazily, he cleaned them both up and drew her to his side.

"Sleep little messenger. We will talk later." She barely acknowledged his words as she drifted off next to him.

Albus returned to his quarters at Hogwarts late at night, after the last day of exams. After his duel with Grindlewald, he had intended to return to the school but had been waylaid by the British ministry for several days. Turning down several offers including Minister of Magic, he only expressed his desire to remain at Hogwarts and continue teaching.

With several days to wind down from his travels, he had turned his mind to his other problem plaguing him. Kaylee needed to be returned to her proper time. The school year was almost complete and he wouldn't be able to keep her under his control once she left. Her continuing relationship with Tom was another reason she needed to leave. If he every gained her knowledge, he would be an even bigger threat than the one Albus just defeated.

Sitting down at his desk, he sorted through the piled correspondence. One letter in particular stayed his hand and he opened it eagerly. Reading the contents, his mind raced with the new information. This could be the key to sending her home. The letter mentioned a possibility of a special type of portkey and Albus recalled Kaylee had mentioned an object in her hand that had never been found. If such an item was recovered…The letter cautioned the drain on magic could be detrimental to the user activating such a portkey. If it could send her back, Albus was more than willing to take the risk. After all, it was for the greater good to not mess with time.


	12. Chapter 12

"How many horcruxes did I make?"

Kaylee looked up from her essay in surprise at Tom. They were working on homework in his room; her at his desk and him reading on the bed. Shadow lay next to him, all 80 pounds sprawled across half the bed while Nagini had wound her way around Kaylee's leg to rest her head on her lap. She stroked the snake's head absentmindedly as she thought back on anything Hermione had told her.

"I'm not sure. I only even heard the word during the battle. Harry mentioned looking for something in Hogwarts…a diadem I think? And Hermione said it was one of the last items that needed to be destroyed."

Tom wrote something in the notebook he kept with him and studied it thoughtfully.

"You told me they were looking for almost a year while you were on the run?"

She nodded. Kaylee hadn't seen them that year but a few exchanged words during a lull in the battle were enough to give her an idea of what they had been doing.

"Are you revisiting the theory that these horcruxes caused your mental instability?" She was curious why he brought the subject up since it had been several months since they last discussed it.

Their melded magic rolled a little between them, indicating that the topic was a sensitive one for Tom.

"I am trying to determine the direct cause of my…mental breakdown so I can avoid the fate if possible. It would have been helpful to know the exact number I made."

Kaylee looked down and gave another pat to the snake. She was aware that Tom had been frustrated at times regarding her lack of information about certain events in the future. She had not been at the center of most of the big things that took place so her knowledge came from either word of mouth or rumor. These moments always caused her to feel a little…inadequate about the position his future self placed her in. Ideally, one of the trio should have been chosen because of their closer involvement. Kaylee was still unsure at times what the benefit of sending _her_ back had been to Lord Voldemort.

She sighed and looked back at Tom. "I cannot give you a precise number but I still believe that they are the root cause. I have never researched immortality but the way you chose in my time had some serious drawbacks that I would think you would want to avoid."

Her mind caught on a conversation with Hermione back in their first year. The three had gotten into some trouble in the forbidden corridor but hadn't been able to elaborate on what had happened. Hermione had mentioned something about a stone that was being protected and a man's name…Flamel? For some reason, the incident and immortality were interconnected in her mind but Kaylee couldn't see why.

"Have you ever heard of someone named Flamel?" She saw Tom give her a curious glance.

"Not that I am aware of, why?"

"There was an incident my first year where the trio got into some trouble. We weren't told much but I remember Hermione telling me about a stone and someone named Flamel. I don't know why, but when we talk about immortality, the conversation keeps popping up."

She saw him write down a few more items in his notebook.

"I will look into it. Hopefully, I will have time before we graduate." He closed his notebook and turned to face her fully.

"I have made plans for us after graduation. Several of my knights will be traveling abroad for a year to explore other magical cultures before taking over their positions. It is common among pureblood males to do so. I have already arranged for us to accompany them."

She felt surprised but realized she shouldn't be. Kaylee knew that Tom intended to keep her close; especially after their bonding but the idea of spending an entire year with him and his knights was unnerving.

"I would think in this time people might have a problem with a single girl traveling with a bunch of men. Aren't you worried Dumbledore might try to keep me from going? Technically, he is my guardian right now." She had avoided the professor as much as possible, especially after the bonding but she knew he would not be happy about her disappearing into the world with Tom of all people.

Tom waved her off as he began collecting his Potions textbook and tools.

"First of all, you are of age so his guardianship will have ended. Secondly, our bonding will have registered with the ministry as a marriage contract meaning I take precedence over your family as your husband."

She gaped at him in astonishment. Marriage contract?!

"What?! What do you mean we are _married_?!" She stared at him as he calmly threw his bag onto his shoulder.

"Surely you realized the bond we created was the equivalent, if not more so, to a marriage? We are irrevocably bound to one another; it cannot be broken unlike typical marriage bonds. Although it has not been done in centuries, there are still charms in place to track them."

"And you're not worried at all? What will your followers think, their lord actually married to a muggleborn?!" She didn't even want to think about the reaction she would get if Dumbledore stumbled upon the little tidbit of her apparent marriage.

"They will accept it because I will tell them to." He stepped close to her and tilted her head up to look at him. "I told you pet, you are mine. You and I will know the depth of our connection; the marriage contract is just a formality to publicly bind you to me so that others will not question your presence by my side. I have no intention of announcing the subject of course until it suits me." The unspoken command that she not speak of it as well as clear. She had no problem with that.

She nodded. He bent down and claimed her lips in a deep, forceful kiss. His hand lightly traced her jaw until it gripped her hair to hold her in place. Their magic swirled around them and she moaned lightly at the sensual feel of it.

He broke it off to look into her eyes once more.

"See you at dinner little messenger."

"What are your plans after graduation?" Kaylee looked up from her plate startled. Dorea looked at her expectantly.

"Um…I'm not sure yet." She didn't want word spreading yet of her imminent travel plans until hopefully it was too late for Dumbledore to intervene. She hated not being able to confide in her friend though.

"Well, I was hoping you could spare a little bit of time in July for me then." Dorea smiled slightly. "After all, a girl needs a maid of honor to get married right?"

Kaylee looked at her in surprise, "you want me to be your maid of honor?" No need to bring up to fact she would technically be her matron of honor. Her mind was still trying to grasp the fact that she was married.

"Of course." Dorea gave her an irritable scowl. "You're my best friend, why wouldn't I pick you?"

Kaylee gave a shy smile. "I would love to!" she said softly.

Dorea smiled back. "Don't ask so surprised. You have been a great friend to me since you came and honestly, you brought Charlus and I together. I owe you a great deal for ensuring my future will be much brighter."

Kaylee had no doubt her friends would have found each other eventually but she was happy that she had helped.

"I look forward to it." Hopefully, she could pop back to England from wherever they were at the time. It would definitely be an area she wouldn't compromise on with Tom. She had no plans to disappoint her friends because Tom was such a prat about Charlus.

A throat clearing behind her had Kaylee turning around to face…Dumbledore. She swallowed thickly. She had been avoiding him at all costs, her choice had been made and seeing him alone would be the height of foolishness.

"Sir? What can I do for you?"

"Excuse me Miss Black, but might I borrow my cousin?"

Dorea smiled at Kaylee and gave a nod to Dumbledore. "That's alright sir, I will just head back to my table."

He motioned for her to follow him out of the Great Hall. Kaylee did a quick perusal of the Slytherin table, not seeing Tom. Her gaze caught McNair's and she gave a subtle nod towards Dumbledore, hoping he got the message. Walden gave her a quick nod in return and slowly began to head out behind them. Hopefully, he could alert Tom that she was with Dumbledore alone.

Kaylee grew nervous as they turned in the opposite direction of his office but instead headed towards the stairs.

"Where are we going professor?" she asked. He had remained quiet so far and she was hoping to draw out the reason why he wanted to speak to her.

Instead of answering he asked, "Do you remember the first night you arrived? You mentioned a box that was in your hand but you couldn't find it when you woke up."

Her brow furrowed, why was he bringing that up now? Of course, she knew who had taken the box and where it was but it was a useless trinket now. The only thing of value was the note and Dumbledore shouldn't be aware of that.

"Yes, we never found it. Why do you ask?" She noted that they were headed towards the Heads rooms and she felt a jolt of panic run through her. She reigned in her magic firmly; she did not want to give away her heightened state to her companion.

After giving the password, Dumbledore ushered her into the Heads common room and pushed her gently into Tom's room.

"I believe it is the key to getting you home, which is of course what we want, correct?" He gave her a piercing stare before pulling his wand out, waving it about the room.

She was in full panic now, her magic was agitated and the bond between her and Tom pulsed with her strong emotions. She reached out to Tom, hoping that he would hear her.

Tom bottled the last of the potion for Slughorn's project. He glanced at his watch, noticing that dinner was almost over. He would have to stop by the kitchens on his way back to his room.

"Thank you my boy for your assistance! I will be sure to get you that letter of recommendation before graduation!" Tom merely nodded at his professor. He had no plans to enter into a potions apprenticeship but the letter would prove useful in other ways.

Before he could respond, he felt a tremor in his bond with Kaylee. His magic rolled with the intensity of it and he felt a nudge in the back of his mind.

Straining he focused on the bond.

" _Tom!" Kaylee's voice was laced with panic. "He's looking for the box in your room; he says it can send me home. I think he's warded me in here!"_

Tom quickly gathered his bag and headed out the door immediately. He didn't notice Slughorn gaping at his abrupt departure as he was walking as quickly as he could back to his room.

" _I am coming, remain calm. Stall him as long as possible."_ Tom's magic heaved with his agitated state. Damn Dumbledore for interfering! He couldn't risk apparating, he didn't know what type of wards the man had put up and there were still too many people about to see.

Tom spotted McNair hurrying toward him from the direction of the Great Hall.

"I already know he took her." Tom informed his knight, not slowing down in the least.

McNair fell into step with him. "She looked worried my lord. Do you know what he wants with her?"

"Yes." Tom replied shortly. He didn't have time to explain as he felt Kaylee's emotions stirring even more. His magic was straining to reach hers as he entered his common room. He probed the wards forcefully, determining what he needed to do to reach her.

"How…how does it work sir?" Kaylee watched as the professor centered his attention on a drawer in Tom's desk. Nagini hissed at him from her perch and slithered down under the bed. Her eyes shown at Kaylee and she motioned the snake to stay where she was. Shadow had already moved to her side and she gripped his fur tightly and angled him behind her, hoping Dumbledore would overlook his presence.

"It is a portkey I believe. The theory is that you should be able to power it to return you to your rightful time." He managed to pry the wards down around the drawer and withdrew the small box.

Kaylee felt Tom's presence on the other side of the door, his magic working furiously to dismantle Dumbledore's wards. Her magic reached for his, unable to do more with the man inside the room with her.

"Sir, this is just a theory, are you sure it's true?"

Dumbledore eyed her curiously. He made no move towards her yet but she gripped her wand in her hand regardless.

"My dear, do you not wish to return home? You know the consequences of meddling with time. Why are you so resistant?" His eyes bored into her own and she felt pressure bearing down upon her. Her eyes widened as she realized he was using legilimency on her. Tom had been teaching her the basics over the last month but her shields were no match for someone of Dumbledore's caliber.

She whimpered as he breezed through her mind, searching for something…

Tom froze at Dumbledore's intrusion. His magic rolled with fury that someone other than _him_ was entering his bondmate's mind. She was _his._ Leaving the wards, he focused his energy on shielding their bond from the professor's mind. Under no circumstances can he discover the bond. Tom poured all of his magic into the shield and he felt Dumbledore probing it forcefully.

Albus searched relentlessly for the information he sought. Her relationship with Tom was concerning to say the least and he had to know if she told him anything. The boy's mind would have to obliviated if so. The previous wall was gone from her mind and he was able to see mundane interactions with the boy but nothing significant. Pushing further, despite her whimpers of pain, he bounced off a strong shield. Probing it harshly, he couldn't find a way beyond it. Obviously, the girl was not trained enough for something like this but he didn't have time to find out what lay beyond.

He could feel Tom beyond his wards, trying to bring them down. If Kaylee wasn't sent back now, she would be beyond his reach in two days. He couldn't allow that to happen. He withdrew from her mind quickly, barely noticing her stagger into the door in pain.

He withdrew a small dagger from his pocket and gripped her hand firmly. Slicing her palm open, he placed the box in her hand and closed it.

"Portus!" He commanded loudly and she disappeared from his sight. He vaguely registered the animal that had been with her disappeared also.

Albus opened the door at the pained cry from the other side. Tom had staggered into McNair, holding a hand to his head in pain. The other boy looked concerned at his leader's actions and glanced up at the professor with a look of muted hatred.

"I'm sorry my boy, but it had to be done. She was needed home." He was curious about Tom's reaction to her leaving but chalked it up to teenage angst rather than something more serious. There had been no indication that Kaylee had revealed anything.

Tom's expression of fury did little to Dumbledore as he strode out of the room, satisfied that the girl was back where she belonged. He felt a little concern over the warning in the letter but brushed it off. It was the right thing to do.

McNair assisted Tom into his bedroom where his lord dropped into unconsciousness as soon as he lay down. He debated taking him to the hospital wing but decided against it, Tom would have told him if that were necessary. He watched as a large snake slithered from under the bed to curl around the sleeping man. He nodded to it and stepped back into the common room. He settled on the couch; he wouldn't leave until Tom was awake.

Walden pondered Dumbledore's parting words; he had sent her home with some sort of portkey. Obviously, there was more surrounding Kaylee's situation than he previously thought. He had felt Tom's magic trying to take down the wards; the sheer force of it was staggering in its intensity. It reminded him again on why he had given himself into Tom's service; the man's power was incredible. He would need to watch Tom carefully during the next year; to see what her disappearance would mean for them. He knew that the couple had bonded; the separation could cause serious side effects for them both. He resolved to be there for his friend and lord, while keeping an eye out for any sign of his missing lady.


	13. Chapter 13

_February 1947_

Tom leaned back in satisfaction. The Philosopher's Stone, he had found it! It had taken several months of searching through various libraries around the world before he even found a mention of the stone and Flamel. Noting Dumbledore's name in the section, he had no doubt in his mind the old man had hidden as much as he could about the stone. _Not good enough old man_ , Tom thought with a smirk.

Now that he knew what he was looking for, he could direct his knights on gathering Flamel's location. Considering Dumbledore was involved, he would have to be discreet in his search over the next few years. Tom felt no need to rush; he had his two horcruxes for safety until the stone was found. The Malfoys would probably be the best start; they always had a hand in everything.

Looking over his last few letters, he noted McNair had been selected for the Unspeakables. The man had been in training for several months to determine if he would even make the trainee program. Walden had turned out to be one of his most valuable assets since Kaylee's disappearance. Tom had subtly read the man's mind on several occasions and was surprised at the level of affection and loyalty he had for her. Although his loyalty to him had never wavered, Tom could see one of his primary motivations for entering the Unspeakables was to seek information on what had happened to Kaylee.

As usual, any thoughts of his wayward bondmate sent Tom's magic into an agitated state. Their bond was still there but in a muted, dormant state. The stability her magic provided him had almost disappeared meaning he strained to control as his magic continued to mature. He had no doubt that his stability would weaken even further over the years as his power grew without her presence. It had definitely been a good decision to not create more horcruxes. Between splitting his soul even more and her absence…he could see Kaylee's original future timeline become true again. He would not let that happen.

Pulling over the other book he had drawn from the library, he annotated several more notes into his notebook. As well as researching the stone, Tom had also determined how Dumbledore had sent Kaylee back and the ramifications of the action. He knew that he had already altered the timeline significantly, and would continue to do so with the information Kaylee had provided him. The changes would drastically change the future she had known and he needed to know the outcome when he caught up to her arrival.

The notebook had been filled over the last few months with every scrap of intelligence he could remember from his conversations with Kaylee. Each piece would guide his actions over the next few decades to ensure he avoided the mistakes he had seen in her memories.

He glanced down as Nagini wound her way up onto the table.

" _Master. I sense your magic moving because of the lost Mistress."_

" _She will return to us but not for many years. She will be born in a couple of decades; you will watch over her for me until she returns to Hogwarts."_

Tom had already marked the information regarding her birth; including date, location, parents names, etc. He would not be able to interact with her directly but he would ensure she remained as safe as possible until she was returned to him. That day could not come soon enough, but for now he had work to do.

 _November 1981_

Disillusioned, Tom slipped into the Muggle hospital and worked his way to the closest nurse's station. Waiting until he was alone, he silently accio'd the file he was looking for. Glancing at the room number, he returned the file and headed up to the third floor. The muggle woman was dozing in the bed and he placed a mild sleeping charm on her so she wouldn't waken. Turning around, he approached the crib containing a sleepy baby wrapped in a pink blanket.

He allowed his disillusion to drop and the small eyes connected with his own, blinking slowly. He hesitantly reached out a finger and a tiny fist gripped it tightly. The small coil of magic that connected with his own felt…heavenly. He had not felt that in…a long time.

A small smile graced his face; it was not often he allowed himself to show such emotions but the situation warranted it. Bringing his other hand up, he gently stroked the downy hair.

"Hello Kaylee. Welcome back." He whispered softly. Of course, this wasn't _his_ Kaylee, at least not yet. But he was one step closer and it was…reassuring to know their bond was still functioning. All of his calculations confirmed it of course but the verification was satisfactory.

Releasing the little hand, he watched the sleepy baby close her eyes and drift off to sleep. He removed the sleeping charm from the mother with a wave of his hand as he left the room. Slipping back out of the hospital, he apparated back to his manor. It had been an excellent day.

 _August 1988_

Tom leaned back after signing the letter in front of him. Kaylee's parents had been notified their daughter had received a patron that would pay for her schooling at a private institution outside of London. He had already laid the groundwork for their acceptance months ago after his report from McNair.

Walden was the only one of his followers who Tom trusted with any information regarding Kaylee's existence. The man's loyalty to himself and his bondmate had never wavered through the years. Although he was getting on in years, he remained active with the Unspeakables and Tom had no qualms about giving his knight the assignment of keeping an eye on the growing Kaylee. McNair's last report was in June when he noted the girl had been subjected to some rather harsh bullying at her current school, along with not being challenged academically.

Tom had instantly set out for the small muggle neighborhood to plant the seed of transferring Kaylee to a better school. He had developed a working relationship with the couple over the years, using a glamour to ensure he wouldn't be recognized by Kaylee in the future. The father was away more often than not with the British Navy and the mother ran a small vet clinic in the area. Tom had invested in the small clinic early on to gain a foothold into the family's life.

Strolling out of his manor an hour later, Tom apparated into the local park and meandered his way into the clinic. He had a meeting with the Minister of Magic in two hours which gave him enough time to ensure Kaylee's education was settled for the upcoming year.

"Mia, lovely to see you again." He greeted the petite woman in the office before spotting seven year old Kaylee in the corner.

"Mr. Blackfield! Here to check up on your investment or to spoil my daughter some more hm?" Kaylee's mother glanced at the girl fondly. "She has missed seeing you the last few months."

The summer had been busy for Tom. Several pieces of legislation were currently being pushed through by his followers and he hadn't had time to drop by as often.

"I apologize Mia, I went abroad to visit a cousin of mine and didn't return until recently. Although I understand you received some news…?" Of course, he knew every detail about the schooling situation but he wanted to verify the woman wasn't going to back out. He knew the couple detested taking other people's money but Tom would not take no for an answer.

Kaylee's green eyes met his over the litter of puppies she had been playing with when he came in. A big grin lit her face and she scrambled to her feet before running over to him. He wrapped the little girl in his arms and allowed the soothing sensation of her magic to wash over him. He really had waited too long between visits; he always became irritable the longer he went without seeing her.

Although slightly more vibrant, the bond remained muted and would continue so until she returned from her trip to the past. Until then, he would have to settle for brief hugs or small touches she gave him. Luckily, he was allowed the interaction considering his glamour made him appear to be an older gentleman that doted upon the girl like a grandchild. He detested the ruse and the forced interaction with the muggle couple but he put up with it to maintain what control he could over the girl's life.

"Yes, Kaylee here received a scholarship to attend Woodwarth Academy. We decided to accept just last week. How did you…?"

"Neighbors talk Mia. Kaylee here is a great source of interest to many of us." Most of the neighborhood consisted of older, retired couples that doted upon the little girl. It had been easy for Tom to integrate as one of the neighbors when the family had moved in a few years ago.

"Ah yes, nosy busybodies." Mia chuckled with a shake of her head. "I should have known you would have heard the news the instant you got back."

"Are you going to go away again?" Kaylee looked up at him as he sat down. "I want you to come to my birthday party, you can't miss that!"

Tom mentally shook his head. It was no wonder Kaylee had been so quiet when they met; she had not acquired any friends her own age. Rather, she relied on her parents and elderly neighbors for company when her nose wasn't buried in a book.

"I will have to see if I can arrange it. But, I brought you something to congratulate you on your scholarship."

Her eyes lit up with excitement, "what is it?!"

He handed her the small box, wrapped in green paper. The two adults watched in amusement as she tore the paper and opened the box that contained a small necklace.

"Thank you!" Kaylee grinned as she gave him another hug. He could already feel her magic increasing every time he visited her. Tom had already heard tales of her accidental magic from her parents over the years and they would continue to grow in strength as she got older.

The little girl slipped the necklace over her head and only Tom saw the flash as the wards and spells he had placed on it activate. They were minor at this age, mainly basic protection but he had added a small warning charm to notify him in case of emergencies. Over the years, he planned on adding to it…especially after she left for Hogwarts. Dumbledore would recognize the girl instantly and Tom would take every step to ensure the old coot did not interfere with her.

"That was sweet of you Mr. Blackfield. Kaylee, make sure you take good care of that. It looks expensive." Mia looked a little pensive about such an extravagant gift for the young girl.

"It's fine Mia, she will be able to wear it for many years." At least, the notice-me-not charm would allow the necklace's existence to fade away in Mia's mind until she forgot her daughter wore it. Kaylee would most likely forget as well until her magic matured.

 _September 1992_

Tom sipped his firewhisky after reading Walden's note that Kaylee had safely made it to the Hogwarts Express. He had slowly faded out of her life over the last few years; wanting to ensure she wouldn't remember his presence. He still kept a close watch over her schooling and gradually took control of what classes she took and her financial situation. A small charm ensured her parents were amendable to her unknown patron having such a large say in her education.

Only a few more years left until he would send her back in time at the battle. His arithmancy equations had already shown that the battle was a point in time he could not change. Tom had already completed the necessary calculations and adjustments on the portkey. It sat waiting in his vault for 1998. After his research into the matter, he had also made contingency plans for Kaylee's arrival. Tom had been furious when he had learned what the travel back would do to Kaylee. He was sure Dumbledore had been aware of the consequences but had done it anyways. Not that Tom needed further fuel for his hatred of the man.

The Headmaster and himself had faced off over the years multiple times as Tom gained power in the wizarding world. Despite the changes he had made to the original timeline, Dumbledore opposed his every move and still maintained a strong following. Tom had no doubt that families like the Potters and Weasleys would remain his enemies in this timeline as well due to their unwavering loyalty to the old coot; despite Tom's actions to prevent it.

 _May 1998_

Tom flicked away another hex from the boy dueling him. Honestly, why Dumbledore insisted on the Potter boy facing him during the battle was a mystery to him. He had not acted on the ridiculous prophecy all those years ago but the old man had consistently kept the boy in the thick of things because of it. Barely acknowledging his opponent, Tom kept most of his attention on the petite brunette dueling to his left. He watched as she dodged the mild curse and brought a shield up barely in time to block the next. Tom had instructed all of his followers to avoid seriously hurting any of the young people if possible. He turned his attention back to his opponent who had thrown an impressive slicing hex his way. Tom dodged swiftly and fired back several curses in succession.

Waiting until the battle paused to watch the duel, Tom threw up a magnetum shield that created a dome around himself and the girl he knew was standing to the left of him watching. Apparating quickly, he gazed down into her eyes as he placed the portkey into her hand. Touching her forehead gently with his thumb, he activated the box and apparated away. Appearing back at his manor, the rest of his followers began popping up around him. Tom smirked, she would be here soon.

Kaylee dropped to her knees as she reappeared, her grip on Shadow the only thing keeping her from collapsing completely. Her magic felt severely depleted, it flickering weakly when she tried to cast a simple lumos. Wearily lowering her wand, she stood shakily and felt along the dark room until she found the handle for the door. She crept quietly from the room with Shadow at her side; she kept a firm grip on his fur in order to remain standing.

Glancing around, she realized she was in Hogwarts but… _when_ was she? That was the million dollar question of course. Kaylee had no idea how the portkey was supposed to work but she wanted to be cautious in case she had arrived back at the battle. She heard footsteps echoing in the hallway in front of her and raised her wand, hoping it whoever was coming was friendly. She didn't think she had the strength for dueling…or pretty much anything at this point. She could barely feel her magic at all.

Two men turned the corner and stopped at the sight of her. She raised her wand defensively; the Death Eater robes and masks in their hands shot fear into her. Kaylee hadn't seen those uniforms in a while and the memories of them were not pleasant. Shadow growled threateningly at her side, obviously picking up on her apprehension.

"Ms. Smith?" The dark, smooth baritone drew her gaze to the taller man. She blinked in astonished recognition.

"Professor Snape?!" She gaped. Kaylee _remembered_ hearing the man had died before she was taken from the battle. Had she arrived before she left? Or…had her meddling in the past changed her present? Her mind whirled with the possibilities and she staggered with the overwhelming emotions.

The other man rushed forward immediately and steadied her with a hand on her arm. Surprisingly, Shadow allowed the contact and merely leaned into her side. She glanced up into blue eyes that looked vaguely familiar.

"Who…?" she asked.

"It's been a while Kaylee." Her eyes widened.

"Walden?" She asked weakly. He looked so much older but the voice sounded the same.

"Of course. My Lord thought a familiar face would be comforting for you." My Lord. Tom?

"I…I don't know what's going on Walden. What…" She glanced at Snape who was watching their exchange intently. "What year is it?" She asked in a soft voice.

"1998, he commanded us to bring you to him once you arrived. He has already left Hogwarts."

She was back but things were…different. Kaylee could feel the shock of everything taking its toll. She leaned heavily into Walden, her head becoming dizzy again as her magic flickered weakly.

"We must leave." Snape had approached them quietly and glanced at her with a blank expression. "The halls will be crawling with people soon and our orders were to bring her to him immediately."

Walden nodded and lifted her into his arms. Kaylee knew she didn't have the strength to argue right now. As much as she was desperate to find her comrades in arms, she was too weak to even attempt dueling the two wizards, not that she would succeed anyway. Tom had sent them to find her; she reached into herself for the bond. It was not as bright as the last time she had seen it but it seemed to be gaining strength which meant their connection remained. Her head fell heavily against McNair's shoulder; her strength was fading rapidly and she lost the battle to stay awake.

The two men quickly reached the edge of the forest and apparated her away.


	14. Chapter 14

The sound of voices drifted in and out as Kaylee awoke. She felt arms around her and she got a strong sense of movement…someone was carrying her? Rapidly, her memories before she had fainted came back and her green eyes shot open. Whoever was carrying her must have sensed her awakening because the arms around her tightened.

A sea of black robes met her gaze and she thought she spotted some familiar faces but she was being swept through the crowd too quickly to know for sure. Reaching the front of the room, she was set down on the ground on a raised platform. Walden's face swam into view and he whispered softly,

"Stay here. Don't try to get up; you are still weak from your travels."

Before she could respond, he abruptly got to his feet and took his place in the front row of the assembled Death Eaters. Next to him, she spotted Professor Snape who was giving her a blank stare. His gaze quickly shifted behind her, as did the rest of the audience. The voices died instantly as every person in the room knelt before their lord.

She stiffened. Kaylee could literally _feel_ his magic when he came up behind her. It was like dark thunder clouds rolling through the room. Darker and larger than she had ever felt from him before. Her weak magic instantly responded to the presence, trying to meld with it. Her magic was like a small raindrop though in the storm, too small to make an impression.

"Well done ladies and gentleman. We have won a major victory tonight." His commanding tone echoed in the room. A cheer went up from his followers.

"A large blow has been dealt to our enemies and we are one step closer to victory." A dark chuckle came from behind and above her. "I believe recovery may not be possible from what they have lost tonight."

Large hands gripped her shoulders and she was hauled to her feet roughly. Swaying slightly, Kaylee allowed the hands to turn her and looked up into brown eyes.

"Tom?" She whispered quietly.

He looked…as handsome as ever. Slightly older than the seventeen year old she had just left, maybe late twenties. But the eyes, there was the large change. Those dark brown eyes now held a wealth of knowledge and experience of decades without her. The monster she had left so long ago was not here in this timeline, how much had changed?

His magic flared when she said his old name; it wrapped around her magical core and what little magic she had was swept away in the storm. Her knees gave out with the strength of his possession but he caught her easily. His strong arm wrapped around her, supporting her. A finger came up to trace her brow, down her cheek, and swiped across her bottom lip. She shivered at the sensual feel; his magic swirled with the touch. With a small smirk and amusement in his eyes, he turned her to face their audience.

"Walden, Severus." The two men took a few steps closer to the raised platform. "You performed admirably tonight gentlemen." He glanced down again at Kaylee, holding her gaze. "Thank you for returning my wife to me."

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Professor Snape stiffen and several members of the audience gasped at the declaration. Tom broke eye contact with her and faced his followers again.

"You are all dismissed to celebrate our victory at Malfoy Manor. The Inner Circle will reconvene in two days."

At his dismissal, the Death Eaters immediately turned to exit the room. Kaylee's eyes caught a furious glance from Bellatrix Lestrange but the man next to her dragged her out before she could approach. Her body stiffened at seeing the horrible woman again. Kaylee hoped she could stay away from the crazy woman as much as possible.

"Tippy." Tom called out. A small house elf appeared next to them. She had a small green apron on and a little hat between her big ears.

"Escort my lady to our room. I will be along shortly." Tom glanced back down at Kaylee. "See you in a bit little one."

Before she could say anything, Tippy grabbed her hand and apparated her out of the room.

Tom turned to the two remaining men in the room. He had instructed them to remain after the meeting earlier that day. With a nod to follow, he led the way into his study across the hall. Gesturing for them to take a seat, he poured himself a glass of firewhisky and sat across from them.

"Report."

"We found her in the corridor you specified my lord." Severus replied. "She seemed a little unstable on her feet and did not put up any sort of resistance." Of course, his spy's tone was completely even and his expression blank. Tom knew the man well however and could sense he was confused about the assignment and slight concern on why she did not fight them taking her.

Without answering the unspoken question, he turned to Walden with a raised eyebrow.

"I believe she recognized us my lord and knew we meant no harm. Her magic was fluctuating weakly and her physical strength has been affected as well. I carried her here after she fainted in the corridor."

Tom had expected as much. In the receiving room, he had felt her magic answer his but it had been swept away quickly. He anticipated several weeks would be needed for her magical core to regain strength. She was incredibly strong but the amount used for the portkey had almost drained her completely. And, his magic had matured and grown during her decades of absence…she would have to catch up quickly.

Looking back at Severus, Tom felt mild amusement. He could practically _feel_ the man's curiosity on how his student had become the Dark Lord's wife. Not that he would ever ask, he was too skilled in the game for something so blatant. But Tom knew him along with several of his other followers would not rest until they uncovered the story. Luckily, he had hidden and deleted most of the information a long time ago, there wasn't much to find. Unless of course he wanted it found.

"No questions Severus? No speculations on your assignment or my new found wife?" Amusement tinged his voice.

"If you wish me to know my lord, you would tell me."

Ah, so simple an answer but held a wealth of meaning. Indeed, Severus was well sorted in Slytherin. He chuckled again.

"I think it would provide me with more entertainment watching my followers attempt to uncover the information themselves. I might divulge more at a later time." He glanced at the clock on the wall. "It has been a long day gentleman. Since I know you will not attend the festivities, you are dismissed."

Severus glanced at his companion as they exited the Dark Lord's manor. As soon as they passed the gate, the building vanished along with the knowledge of its location. No Death Eater remembered the location unless the Dark Lord wished it and that invitation came rarely. The Dark Lord preferred to meet at Malfoy Manor while keeping his residence completely secure from all but himself…and apparently his new wife.

His mind still reeled with _that_ particular tidbit. The Order was going to go insane when they heard the news.

"You did not seem surprised about the activities tonight." Severus kept his eyes on the path they walked. Although the manor was out of sight, antiapparation wards extended quite a ways beyond the manor.

"No I was not." Severus mentally groaned. Out of all the other Death Eaters, Walden McNair was incredibly difficult if not impossible at getting information out of him. His considerable amount of time with the Unspeakables coupled with his years of service to the Dark Lord made the man a fountain of information. But getting any of it proved next to impossible, the man was a master Occlumens like himself and had no apparent weaknesses he could use. It had been frustrating Severus for years.

"I assume that your previous knowledge was why you were chosen for this…special assignment." Severus hesitated; dare he bring up the girl specifically? The Dark Lord expected his followers to search for information but that did not mean he would take kindly to the intrusion. "I confess myself surprised at his choice. I have taught the girl for six years and although she was a dedicated student, little else would recommend her."

McNair stopped abruptly and turned to him. Although the blank mask remained, Walden's eyes glittered with repressed anger.

"I suggest you not speak of her in that manner in front of the Dark Lord…or me. She is more important than you know."

Before Severus could respond, the man apparated away.

His mind raced with McNair's reaction. He definitely knew more about the situation than Severus had believed. Why would Walden think the girl was important? From his angry retort, Severus could see the subject was personal to the man but couldn't understand why. He couldn't think of an instance where he could have met Ms. Smith. Although that brought up the question on how she ended up _married_ to the Dark Lord. There was something he was missing and he hated not knowing.

Apparating directly to the Order's Headquarters, he let himself into the gloomy house and immediately set out for the dining room. He could hear raised voices even before he entered the room and it only grew louder as he stepped through the portal.

"Severus!" Minerva beckoned him over to the front of the room. "What did you learn?"

He glanced around the room. The voices died down at his presence, waiting to hear his report.

"Apparently, tonight was seen as a great victory by the Dark Lord. He believes it is only a matter of time until the Order is brought to heel. Hogwarts is now under his control and I believe he will ask me to be Headmaster for next year." He turned to his colleague, "He has reset the wards to ensure you cannot enter again unless he allows it."

Minerva merely nodded. They had been prepared for this possibility. The Dark Lord's heritage allowed him to meddle with the school's wards more than any other. Severus was hoping he could convince the Dark Lord to allow Minerva back as a professor sometime in the near future. The idea of dealing with all the idiotic children alone…he shuddered.

Angry murmurs rose around the room. The two male Potters looked livid that Minerva would not be able to go back to the school.

"I knew this would happen." Minerva reassured everyone with a smile. "Severus will make an excellent Headmaster. This will also provide the students with someone we can trust to protect them."

Severus of course didn't mention that he was already scheduled to take over as Headmaster regardless of the Dark Lord's plans. Although she was Deputy Headmistress, she had declined the promotion due to her age.

"Was there anything else Severus?"

He hesitated; the other piece of news would cause even more an upheaval. And he had to be careful on what he said. McNair's reaction sprang to mind again. The man knew more than he let on but the impression he gave was that the girl would become an important figure in the days to come and the Dark Lord would not take kindly to any interference regarding his plans for her.

"Yes, myself and another were instructed not to participate in the battle…we were given a more important task. At least according to the Dark Lord."

That _did_ bring everyone's attention to him. The Order had assumed the battle was going to be a last stand between the two sides. When the Dark Lord and his followers left rather than continued fighting…it had thrown everyone off.

"I thought the whole point of tonight was to complete the prophecy by having Harry fight him?" James and Lily had been incredibly angry about the plan. Somehow Albus had convinced them it was necessary for the two to fight years ago. Severus still couldn't figure out why they trusted the man about the issue. He had long since given up trying to talk Dumbledore out of using the Potter boy and any other child that got caught up with him.

"As I have told you, the Dark Lord has never been interested in the prophecy…hence why Mr. Potter is still with us today." He of course alluded to the idea that if the Dark Lord _had_ acted, the brat would probably be dead.

"I assume the battle was more a show of strength towards the Order but I am unclear on his true motives for breaking the fight off." Severus had a feeling it all centered around Ms. Smith, but until he knew for sure he was going to keep quiet about his speculation.

"My orders however were to retrieve someone and deliver her to him."

Gasps could be heard from around the room. Members looked around to see who was missing immediately and Minerva gave him a sharp look.

"Who?" she asked abruptly.

"Kaylee Smith. For some reason, we found her wandering down the third floor corridor. The Dark Lord knew where her precise location would be even before we had arrived at Hogwarts." Another question to ponder later, how had he known that?

"That poor girl!" Molly Weasley's voice sounded from the back and several of the women in the room looked just as shaken about the news.

"I don't understand. Why her? I thought he was after me this whole time." Harry Potter's voice broke through the chatter. Severus rolled his eyes, of course the boy would think everything centered around him. The Granger girl next to him was studying him thoughtfully. Severus knew the two had been friends at Hogwarts so he was surprised she did not seem as upset by the news.

"I wonder why she ended up there?" Luna Lovegood's breathy voice spoke up from the back of the room. "He must have sent her there for Professor Snape to find."

"What do you mean _he_ sent her?" Ron Weasley asked. "You mean You-Know-Who put her in the corrider?" He looked confused as did many of the Order members.

"Didn't anyone see him touch her during the battle?" Luna looked around confusedly. "After he broke off his fight with Harry, he came over to her and touched her. She disappeared and I didn't see her again." The girl didn't seem concerned about her best friend just disappearing in front of her or the reaction her words caused around the room.

"What does she mean?"

"She disappeared?"

"He _touched_ her?!"

Voices were escalating again. Minerva cleared her throat loudly and turned to Severus.

"Did you know about this?"

"No, as I said. I was not allowed at the battle but was told to merely wait for the girl in the corridor and bring her to him. There was no time for a warning though, he sent myself and McNair over right before we arrived."

"Did he give any reason on why her? She isn't even an Order member, she wouldn't have any important information." Minerva gave him a bewildered look.

And here comes the uproar.

"After we delivered her to him, I was thanked by the Dark Lord for returning his…wife to him."

Dead silence.

"WHAT?!" Ron Weasley exploded out of his chair. "You-Know-Who _married_ Kaylee?!"

Harry Potter and his parents looked gobsmacked and the Granger girl looked startled at the revelation. Remus Lupin and Sirius Black turned to James Potter to discuss the news angrily as did most of the room.

Severus ignored Minvera's questions for a second to observe Ms. Lovegood. She alone had not looked remotely shocked by the news. She merely regarded him thoughtfully. Interesting.

"Severus!" He finally turned his attention back to Minerva. "Did he say anything else? How could this have happened?"

"After he revealed the news, everyone but myself and McNair were excused. He seemed…amused by the response considering none of his followers knew of this either." That caused everyone in the room to look at him again.

"He did not provide any information on how this came about but he made it clear that she was…important to him. I do not yet know why but I will say that any action regarding her will draw the full power of the Dark Lord's wrath on you."

"Are you saying we shouldn't rescue the poor girl?" He blanked his emotions immediately at Lily Potter's voice. The two old friends rarely spoke, even during Order meetings. Yes he had joined the Order to protect her but that did not erase the painful past.

"I am saying that he has claimed her in a very public way. Although I don't know the specifics regarding their…marriage, the fact that he _has_ married her suggests a deep game he is playing." He gave the room a chilling glance. "She is being held at his _personal_ residence. Not even his most loyal followers are given the location. As of right now, it would be impossible to even attempt a rescue simply because we would not be able to locate her. I would also assume he put measures in place to prevent a rescue attempt."

The meeting broke up quickly after he delivered his report. Although he tried to impress the severity of the situation, Severus knew that the Order would not heed his warning. Determined to find out more before anyone acted rashly, he apparated to Malfoy Manor. Maybe Lucius would know something he did not. Severus had a feeling though that the game the Dark Lord was playing was going to take a drastic turn. And it all had to do with her.


	15. Chapter 15

**Author Note** : Sorry about the delay, been sick all week and dealing with a cranky teething 18 month old!

Kaylee woke slowly, her body felt incredibly weary and heavy but she managed to open her eyes slowly. She tried to swallow but her throat was parched, like she hadn't had water for days. A cup of water entered her gaze and she grasped it eagerly.

"Slowly pet. You have been asleep for a while."

She startled at the deep, masculine voice and jerked her head around to find Tom sitting next to her on the bed. Her mind felt foggy and slow, still trying to piece together everything that happened since she left 1946.

"How long?" Her voice cracked from disuse and she cleared her throat.

"Almost a full day, your body needs the rest. The portkey drained your magic almost completely and it will take time to restore." He took the empty glass from her and vanished it.

"This didn't happen to me when I went back in time, why this time?" she asked. She was a little shocked she had slept so long and could still feel tired; she was going to recover right?

"I prepared the portkey properly when I sent you back, Dumbledore" he spat the name, "did not. I infused my magic into it for months so that it wouldn't need to use yours."

"Maybe he didn't know?" It seemed likely; a portkey to travel through time was not something she had ever heard about. Dumbledore may not have known what the trinket entailed in order to use it.

"He knew, he just chose to ignore the risk in order to send you back." Tom's eyes flashed with anger and she felt his dark magic swirl around her for a second.

Not wanting to argue about it, Kaylee brought up what she thought was a far more important topic.

"I see a lot has changed…" she trailed off. _So_ much had changed; she didn't even know where to begin asking questions.

He chuckled. "From what I saw in your memories, I would say so. I am not going to tell you everything today pet, you are still weary from your arrival and I won't overwhelm you."

His commanding tone made Kaylee bristle. She was about to retort angrily when he reached up to smooth back a curl behind her ear gently. Her anger faded instantly…she had _never_ seen him make such a tender gesture before.

"You have decades to catch up on," he said in a softer tone, "and I will not allow my bondmate to become burdened with so much information without time to process it first."

He snapped his fingers and a house elf appeared, Tippy Kaylee remembered, and a bowl of hearty potato soup and a steaming loaf of bread was placed on a tray in front of her.

Tom nodded at the small elf and she popped away without saying a word.

He gestured to the food, "eat and I will tell you about some of the largest changes."

Kaylee sighed, well aware of how he was manipulating her through his tender gestures and words to do what he wanted. Until she learned more however…she was pretty much lost without him. The thought irked her, she hated not knowing everything and the situation she was in was going to get frustrating fast.

She picked up the spoon, waving it at him to continue, and began to eat.

He chuckled again. "I would only allow such an impertinent gesture from you pet."

He waved his hand and a deep armchair glided across the room so he could settle into it.

"I imagine one of your first questions is in regards to my appearance?" He sounded slightly amused, and only saw the amusement grow as a blush spread across her cheeks.

"Well, I obviously wasn't going to make any more horcruxes considering the results from your timeline. As to my…youthful appearance, I have you to thank for that my dear. Does the name Flamel ring a bell?"

She looked up at him sharply, his eyes practically danced with laughter.

"The stone? My intuition about it and immortality?" For her, they had only had the discussion a few days ago but she hadn't thought much about it since. Apparently he had taken it into consideration much more seriously.

"The Philosopher's Stone actually. It took me almost a year to track down any information regarding it, thanks to our esteemed Headmaster Dumbledore but eventually I was able to…acquire it."

"What does Dumbledore have to do with it? And how does it give immortality?" Her questions tumbled out of her.

He gestured her to start eating again and merely chuckled at her grumbling. As she began eating again, he continued.

"It seems Dumbledore was a good friend to Flamel and he took it upon himself to destroy as much information as possible regarding the stone. I managed to find a scrap of information in America of all places and was then able to track down the stone itself."

She noticed he didn't mention what had happened to the previous owner of the stone. Kaylee grimaced, _that_ was something she didn't want to dwell on. There wasn't much she could even do now, it was decades ago.

"The stone creates the Elixir of Life, granting its user eternal youth and life. I eventually found the stone when I was 28. There was no need for horcruxes after the discovery."

She broke off a piece of bread and chewed on it slowly. If the stone worked as he said, it would give him the immortality he sought while not impeding on his sanity. Although his already existing horcruxes could eventually give him trouble.

"What about the horcruxes you already created? Aren't you worried they may cause damage after a long period of time?" Although now that she thought about, it had been decades since he had made them. If no problem had manifested by now…

"That won't be issue, they no longer exist."

She choked on the sip of water she had been drinking. No longer exist?!

"What?!" How could he still be stable if two parts of his soul had been destroyed?!

His eyes flashed with amusement again at her reaction. Honestly, he was far more amused than he had ever been when he was younger.

"They weren't destroyed…per se. I made an interesting discovery in an extremely old library in Egypt in my twenties. Egyptians were obviously fascinated with death and the afterlife considering objects like the pyramids. They did not consider ideas like horcruxes dark magic and I found a wealth of information about them that I couldn't in Britain. One interesting tidbit described an item that could retrieve souls, and of course something like that perked my interest."

Kaylee's mind raced with the possibilities. Could he have actually _reversed_ the horcrux process?

"But, your soul was split into three pieces. I assume this item was created for calling forth whole souls that have left the body?" She assumed it was some death ritual to call back people's souls from the dead, like the resurrection stone in the old children's tale of the Deathly Hallows. She had come across the story in the Hogwarts library. It had seemed somewhat fanciful but in a world of magic, the items themselves seemed like something that could have been created. Not given to wizards by Death, obviously.

"Clever pet." He chuckled and his thumb traced the palm of her hand. She shivered as his magic danced lightly against her skin at the contact. God, his control over his magic was titillating to say the least.

"Yes, the item was for whole souls. However, I was able to…adjust the item to accommodate my unique situation. The solution took me quite a while I admit but in the end, I was able to recall the other two portions of my soul back and a helpful little ritual I uncovered pieced my soul back together."

"That's…amazing Tom." She was a little breathless with his reveal. Kaylee had been able to temporarily forget what a powerful wizard he would become considering she had been dealing with his teenage self. But a story like this brought back the realization of just how far his capabilities could extend.

His smug look made her roll her eyes. Arrogant git.

"So if you were never defeated by Harry Potter than you have had an extra decade to gain power in this timeline."

Her unspoken question was loud and clear, why had the battle still taken place? Shouldn't he have already achieved his goals with so much extra time?

That wiped the smug look from his face. She tried not to let her amusement show but his annoyed look at her proved to her she hadn't succeeded.

"Careful little one, I am not the boy you knew. Any other who asked such an impertinent question would not be having a _pleasant_ experience right now."

She shivered at the reminder. Tom had a gift when it came to spells like the Crutiatus as she well knew.

"I extended my travels from our initially planned one year. After discovering information like the Philosopher's Stone, it was clear that Britain had restricted knowledge greatly over the years. Knowledge is power pet, and I was determined to learn as much as I could before I returned, especially since I would be going against a wizard of Dumbledore's caliber."

His magic surged against her suddenly, giving her a taste of the power he could wield. Her magic folded under the pressure and her headache spiked again. After she put her hand to her temple in pain, Tom finally withdrew his magic back to the small trickle it had been. By his blank expression, Kaylee sensed that had been a warning to not push him again. She glared in response but he merely continued, ignoring her expression.

"My power grew exponentially as I pushed its limits and learned more about the nature of magic itself. Many cultures do not differentiate between dark and light magic and provide the knowledge to those who seek it. Of course, some were more willing than others but I was able to acquire what I sought."

Kaylee's mind shied away from his implication. She did not want to know the particulars. Tom had always been ruthless but she could see this trait had only grown stronger as he matured.

"Several decades had passed before I returned which provided my followers time to solidify their own positions within the Wizamgot and various other departments. I think, my pet, you will approve of my less violent approach this time around. It would have been significantly less if your Order friends had not been taken in with their idol Dumbledore…" He shrugged, clearly indicating he wouldn't feel guilty about his actions against the Order; they made their choice.

During his explanation, Tippy had popped in and taken her empty tray allowing Kaylee to lay back into the pillows. Even after having slept for so long, weariness began creeping back in again despite her interest in their conversation. Tom must have noticed because he stood after he had finished and waved his chair back to the fireplace. She watched through half opened eyes as he extinguished the lights with a wave of his hand.

She startled a bit when instead of telling her to rest and leaving, he climbed into the bed on the opposite side. Kaylee remained stiff as he settled in beside her. Although they had been bonded for a few weeks before she had left, they had never spent the night together. Add in the fact that he was not the same man she had just left…well, the situation was unnerving to say the least.

Lost in her thoughts, she jumped when a strong arm slid beneath her waist to pull her close to his side. Holding her firmly, he pressed her head into his broad chest.

"Sleep little one. Allow our magic to meld while we sleep, you will recover faster with my presence."

His voice was soft and she got the impression that he needed this as much as she. Forcing herself to relax into his embrace, the melody of their joined magic lulled her to sleep.

It had been two weeks since the battle at Hogwarts…and things had been quiet. Too quiet. The Order had used the first several days to recuperate and heal but early in the second week had seen the members grow restless. Unease on what the next action of the enemy would be was causing high tension and short tempers.

The younger members, despite their parents objections, had decided to take up residence at 12 Grimmauld Place after their seventh year at Hogwarts. Sirius had been happy to give up the dark, gloomy townhouse to relocate to Potter Cottage where he could be closer to James, Lily, and Rose when she was home for the summers.

Harry popped his head into the library and yelled for Ron and the twins that he had found the girls. Hermione and Luna glanced up from their books as Harry entered. Heavy footsteps pounded down the stairs before three tall redheads clambered through the doorway.

"So we've been talking about what to do while the older members hum and haw about the next step." Harry looked to Luna. "We think we need to rescue Kaylee. Not only is she in the hands of _Him_ but she would have inside information for us we could use!"

The girls exchanged a glance. They had discussed Kaylee's situation a number of times over the last week. Luna had firmly believed that her friend was not in danger and that they would see her again soon. Hermione was not sure what to think although Luna had always had the uncanny ability to know things others didn't. On the other hand, her friend was in the direct hands of Voldemort himself and of all things, _married_ to him. _That_ topic they had avoided.

The one fact that had swayed her to agree with Luna's assessment to not attempt a rescue was Professor Snape's warning. He had been adamant at the meeting that any action towards Kaylee would bring Voldemort's wrath down upon them. And mostly likely to an extent they had not seen before. That _alone_ would make any sane person give up on the idea…and of course Harry would ignore it completely.

"Harry," Hermione sighed, "I…I don't think we should try this. Even if we knew _how_ to reach her, which we don't, Professor Snape…" She didn't get to finish before all the boys in the room scoffed loudly.

"Snape!" Ron exclaimed. "Who cares what the greasy git thinks! He's just scared of his Dark Lord. He doesn't care about Kaylee!"

Hermione rolled her eyes. Ron had not cared about her friend all that much either, he just wanted to do something other than sitting around the house. The recent graduates had not been able to take jobs pretty much anywhere due to Voldemort's influence. During a recent interview, he at stated he would allow younger Order members to seek employment if they renounced their membership to the Order. None had taken him up on his offer…yet.

She could relate to Ron, spending this much time with only the boys and Luna for company was starting to drive her batty too. But this type of risky action?

"Professor Snape," she stressed the title, "is our intelligence on the inside of our enemy and therefore our current expert on Voldemort. _He_ cannot even get to where she is being held and he is in the inner circle. Plus, he indicated that if we try to rescue Kaylee, Voldemort would respond harshly. I don't know about you, but I for one don't want to be the cause of any deaths on our side for what Professor Snape believes to be a futile mission."

Looking at the angry looks on every boy in the room she sighed. Maybe bringing up Professor Snape wasn't such a good idea. They had always hated him for how he treated them in school even if he had done so much for the Order. Hermione had never liked the man herself but was at least trying to be the adult here and look past his behavior to see his actions.

"I don't believe Kaylee needs rescuing," Luna piped up suddenly, "the wrackspurts around Lord Voldemort were frightened away when he was near her."

Hermione pinched her nose. Luna could be so insightful one minute and completely barmy the next. She looked up to see confused looks from the twins and rolled eyes from Harry and Ron. The latter two were well used to the odd girl by now but the twins had not had as much exposure.

"Well, I am not going to leave a friend in _his_ hands if I can help it, regardless of what the slimy git says. We aren't doing anything else until the older members here back from Snape. At least this way we can do something good."

It looked like Hermione would be planning a rescue mission. She sighed again. Where to even start?

As the inner circle meeting broke up, Severus watched as Voldemort swiftly exited the room and apparated away a moment later. _Probably back to his wife_ , he thought with a shudder. What _was_ the Dark Lord's game with the girl?

Catching Lucius' eye, he nodded at the door indicating he was ready for their previously arranged meeting. The two usually met up after meetings for a drink and to discuss current events. He hadn't had a chance to talk to the man since Voldemort revealed his marriage to Ms. Smith. Lucius had been sent to France on an errand for their Lord before the battle and had just arrived back yesterday.

Nodding his head in passing to the lingering Death Eaters, he quickly slipped into the study down the hall. As soon as he entered, Lucius threw up privacy wards to prevent eavesdropping.

"How was France?" Severus asked as his host poured them both glasses of Port.

"Productive. The French Minister and I finalized the plans for the Werewolf reserve in the North of France. It was much easier to push through there than here at home I am happy to say. The French are much more lassez-faire about rights to magical creatures. As long as they follow safety regulations, they have no qualms about allowing them into society. The reserve will provide a safe haven for werewolves during the full moon and a medical staff will be provided for after treatment."

After Draco was accidentally bitten three years ago by a young _female_ werewolf who couldn't afford Wolfsbane, Lucius had become a strong supporter of Werewolf rights. Especially after Draco married the chit who bit him this last year. Severus still had trouble believing the transformation of the Malfoy family. Although still supporters of the Dark Lord, they had practically given up on spouting blood purity in order to support their son. Lucius' influence in the Wizamgot had passed several pieces of legislation to improve the lives of werewolves and other creatures with the Dark Lord's support. After all, these were valuable allies for their Lord. Before he died, Dumbledore had expressed incredulation over the change of heart much to Severus' amusement. The Malfoys were _always_ family first, no matter who they supported.

"Glad to hear it." And he was. Regardless of what side he was loyal to, seeing the lives improved of so many was good to hear. Although he had no love for Lupin, the only werewolf he knew, it had more to do with their mutual past history rather than him being a werewolf.

"I was sorry to hear you missed the battle at Hogwarts. Although I was not there myself, I was told of the heroic acts of our fellow Death Eaters." The sarcasm was heavy in his voice.

The men shared an amused look. Their younger brethren (and Bella) loved to brag of their actions during raids and battles to any who would listen. Few and far between though they were. The older followers were far past sharing their "glorious" exploits on the battlefield but were more interested in making actual changes to their society. At their Lord's direction of course.

"Yes, so sorry I couldn't attend. Although I heard you had an interesting assignment that kept you busy during our victorious battle. Apparently, our Lord acquired a wife we knew nothing of until that night."

Lucius raised an eyebrow at him.

"Ms. Smith, a previous student of mine, Ravenclaw I believe. McNair and I…escorted her to our Lord where he introduced her to us. She was quite disoriented and weary when we found her but," his voice became a bit softer, "she did not seem surprised at the title he bestowed her."

"Yes, our dear Bella was quite…anxious to deliver the news when I returned yesterday."

Severus internally rolled his eyes. Bellatrix would kill the girl and her husband in a heartbeat to take her place as their Lord's wife. She had been pining after him for years. He shuddered; Severus couldn't blame the Dark Lord for not taking her up on _that_ offer.

"Yes, most of us were quite shocked at the news."

"Most?" Lucius leaned forward.

"McNair also did not seem surprised. Although reading the man has always been difficult, he did not seem disturbed by it at all." Severus paused for dramatic effect. God he hated playing the game. "When we encountered Ms. Smith, she seemed to recognize my companion and was surprised to see him."

Lucius sat back thoughtfully.

"Interesting. When I heard the girl's name, I cannot say I recognized it until Draco mentioned he remembered her from school. She was friends with the Lovegood girl I believe and Granger. He didn't tell me much but he seemed to be under the impression that she was not one of the students involved with our conflict with the order."

Severus nodded. "She is friendly with the two girls but hasn't dealt any with Potter or Weasley. She was a bright student, but nothing exceptional. I am…curious to see what has drawn her to our Lord." An excellent foundation of small observances for Lucius to follow with a hint of intrigue that the man loved. Hopefully, Lucius could gather more information than Severus. He was due to report on the girl at the next Order meeting and he hadn't seen or heard about her since he had brought her in two weeks ago.

"Yes, interesting times ahead my friend. Interesting times."


	16. Chapter 16

**Author Note:** So my husband caught whatever I had this week. Hopefully no more sickness so I can update more often. It's a little short but I hope you enjoy!

"Argh!" Kaylee glared at her reflection in the mirror across the room. Glancing down again at "The Art of Dueling Volume XXII," she read through the spell she was trying to master. Tom had left her on her own _again_ and she had been bored out of her mind. She had been in the manor three weeks now and had explored every room that she could. Rather than wasting her time, Kaylee had begun learning new spells while Tom was away…he probably wouldn't be too pleased with her if he knew. She pushed the thought away.

"Your control and intent are off for that particular spell."

She jumped at Tom's deep voice from behind her.

"Tom! How long have you been there?" She swallowed. He had told her she needed rest after her portkey jump but she was just so _bored_. She hadn't done anything too taxing, he couldn't be too upset…

"Long enough to know what you are doing wrong." He pushed away from the door frame where he had been leaning and strolled over to her.

Kaylee scowled at him. Git. Ever since she had gotten back, he had a condescending air about him. Just because he was now older than her did not mean she was inferior!

He chuckled. "I do not think you are inferior pet, merely young and inexperienced."

Before she could reprimand him on his use of legilimency, he turned her around with hands on her shoulders and grabbed her wand hand. He wrapped his larger hand around hers and interlaced their fingers while his other arm wrapped around her waist bringing her into his hard body.

"Close your eyes little messenger," he breathed softly into her ear. His breath ghosted along her neck and sent shivers down her spine.

He waited until she complied before bring their joined hands up to perform the spell. His magic hit her like a freight train, sweeping away her own in the storm. She felt the combined magic tunnel through the wand in a way she had never experienced before and could sense the intent he had spoken of…like a strong muscle that contracted to wrestle his magic into submission. Kaylee felt the magic pour out of the wand to do Tom's bidding.

Her knees gave out from the sheer strength of his magic. It was…magnificent to see and feel him at work but also made her feel so small and insignificant in comparison. How would she ever match him again? The feeling of inadequacy welled up from inside her so fast she struggled to contain it. Analyzing the spell was swept away with the emotional onslaught.

Her entire purpose of her side of the bond was to provide a stabilizing effect on him, which she couldn't do if her magic wasn't strong enough to hold its own against him. Her morbid feelings continued to grow whether she wanted them to or not. For weeks, she had felt Tom hold back from their bond…from _her_ because he knew she wasn't strong enough and it ate her up inside. Kaylee hadn't realized how important the bond was to her until she had returned and felt his sheer power up close. What possible use could she be to him now?

She felt a sigh above her head before he turned her around to face him. Tears welled in her eyes and she kept her gaze at his chest, hoping he wouldn't notice. Frantically trying to blink them away and erect any sort of mental barrier she could.

"You are not worthless little one." A finger tilted her chin up, forcing her to meet his gaze. Brown eyes bore into her own. "I chose you for a multitude of reasons, the foremost being our magical compatibility. Even with our discrepancies in power, our magics still call to one another. I know you can feel it."

She could now that her magic had regained strength over the last few weeks. His magic brushed against her own lightly, drawing hers out in the familiar melody they created together. Steadily, Tom's dark storm increased in strength while still embracing her own. She struggled at the onslaught, starting to feel overwhelmed by the intensity once again.

"Shhh…relax pet." His hand traced her jaw and then tangled itself into her hair, holding her in place. His other arm drew her closer into him, allowing her to draw upon his solid presence. "You are fighting the meld which is why you are struggling. Our bond can only function properly when you submit to me…in every way."

His voice took on a crooning tone as his magic glided across her skin sensually. She shivered at the erotic feeling and her magic returned the gesture without conscious thought. Dropping her forehead against his chest, she surrendered to his greater power, remembering Thad's words once again.

Tom growled at the euphoria he felt as she submitted to him fully. She had always struggled with this particular part of their bond but when she did surrender, it had always made them stronger, as was the intent. Using the hand in her hair, he tilted her face back up to his to look into her eyes.

"You have decades of experiences and knowledge to gain little messenger, and that can't be done in a few weeks. I will guide you through it and your magic will gain strength rapidly under my tutelage."

He fully intended to push her as fast as he could to match him again. Although her presence fulfilled the bond, something he hadn't felt in years, he was tired of holding back. That did not mean he would allow her to hurt herself in the process, he would ensure she followed whatever rules he placed upon her. Her ridiculous feelings of inadequacy were holding her back however and needed to be eradicated.

Patience had never been his strong suit and under normal circumstances, he wouldn't bother with the more gentle approach but Kaylee was different. She was the only person he would make allowances for because she was _his_.

He brushed a light kiss across her lips. He had held back from any physical intimacy, allowing her time to adjust to her surroundings. Tom could see that his actions had partly caused her mental downslide. Kaylee was still painfully young in some areas while incredibly mature in others. This had drawn him in as a teenager but as an adult, he knew he would have to be hyper aware of her hormones role in her emotions.

"You are my bondmate little one, I will not allow you to fail." He trailed his hand under her shirt and glided his fingers up her spine. He felt the little shivers that shook her frame and smirked. "I believe it is time to reacquaint myself with your body pet. It has been a long time since I felt you under me and at my command."

He watched the pupils dilate in her eyes with arousal before taking her lips in a deep kiss. Her mouth opened for him immediately and he swirled his tongue around hers. Without breaking the kiss, he apparated them to their bedroom and backed her up to the bed.

Tom trailed his hands down her body, vanishing her clothes as he went. As he trailed kisses and nips across her jawline, she tilted her head to the side to give him better access. He hardened even further at her submissive gesture. He bit her gently above her collarbone causing her hips to jerk up against him.

Pulling away, he grabbed her around the waist and slid her up further onto the bed. A warm blush raced up her chest into her face at his obvious perusal of her body. He saw her hands clench at her sides and he raised an eyebrow at her. Although it had been a while, she obviously remembered his _lessons_ regarding her trying to hide from him. Her body was _his_.

He smiled slowly as he watched her begin to squirm the longer he remained silent. He had not been celibate during her decades long absence and he had learned quite a bit about his preferences in the bedroom. Even during his few interactions with Kaylee at Hogwarts and shown his preference for sexual dominance. A skill that had only been honed over the years. He would enjoy teaching Kaylee what he enjoyed and what he expected of her in the bedroom.

"Hands above your head pet." Her eyes widened at the command but he merely watched her until she slowly drew her hands up.

"Good girl." With a wandless, "incarcerous," ropes shot up to tie her hand into place above her head.

Tom bent down to take her lips in a light kiss as he skimmed his hand down her stomach. It jumped at the contact and her breathing increased as his hand continued lower. Lightly skimming her folds, he felt the wetness there and smirked at her obvious arousal of his actions.

He wrapped his other hand lightly around her throat, putting just enough pressure to give her a sense of control but not cutting off her air supply. He breathed lightly across her chest as he lowered his mouth to her nipple. Taking the pink tip into his mouth, he sucked lightly and swirled his tongue around.

Her hips jerked at the suction and she gasped as his other hand skimmed across her clit. Smiling at her reaction, he nipped her lightly before sucking her nipple strongly. Her low moan went straight to his cock but he ignored it for the moment.

He blew on the nipple lightly before giving the other nipple the same attention. He drew soft circles on her clit, just a little pressure for her to feel his presence but not enough to get her off. Sliding his hand down, he pressed two fingers into her. Curling them slightly, he rubbed along her inner walls causing her to squirm even more.

He brought his head up to watch her struggle. Gasps and moans were escaping her steadily now as he fucked her with his two fingers and stroked his thumb over her clit in steady circles. Every few seconds he wiggled the hood of the clit and rolled the little nub around causing her to clench his fingers deliciously.

"Please…" she moaned as his thumb increased in pressure. Glancing down, Tom saw her thighs begin to shake uncontrollably and her pussy clenched and unclenched repeatedly. He backed off immediately, knowing she was close.

She groaned. "No! Please Tom!" He hips wriggled, trying to apply the much needed friction from the hand resting lightly on her mons.

"No. You will not come unless I allow it." He almost laughed at the incredulous look she gave him.

"What?!"

"Your orgasms are mine to command little one. I did not give my permission for you to come yet."

Seeing an angry flush creep into her cheeks, he pinched her clit lightly and raised an eyebrow at her.

Her mouth gaped open at the stinging pleasure and then gasped as he plunged his fingers back into her. He chuckled lightly as he rolled on top of her. It was going to be entertaining teaching her over the next few months. But right now, it had been too long since he had last claimed his bondmate and she had suffered enough for a first time.

Withdrawing his fingers to the sounds of her whimpers, he guided the tip of his cock to her entrance.

"Look at me Kaylee." Once her passion filled green eyes met his, he slowly pushed in to the hilt. He sat back on his heels and held her hips firmly in place when she tried to get him to move.

He skimmed a hand across her breasts and down her stomach before resting on her clit. Holding onto her gaze he said, "This body is mine pet. You will ask permission before you come, do you understand?"

He had not moved once he had seated himself inside her, waiting until she acknowledged his command over her. Tom watched her struggle to think coherently after her denied orgasm and continued pleasure as he lightly circled her clit. He could tell the moment he surrendered as her body relaxed into his hold and she nodded slowly.

With a satisfied look, he pulled out to the tip and thrust back in harshly. With her submission, he fully intended on taking her. Keeping her hips pinned, he thrust into slowly. Each time he withdrew he angled himself slightly different before pushing back in. Her sharp intake of breath letting him know when he had hit the right spot.

"Your pussy is so hot and tight pet. That's right, clench around my cock, draw me in deeper." His words brought loud moans out of her and began stroking her clit firmly as he approached his climax.

"Oh God! Please let me come!" She whined at him and threw her head from side to side. Her pussy walls were constantly clenching around him now and he could tell she was close.

"Not yet pet." He began thrusting into her faster now, raising up onto his knees for deeper penetration. He could feel her legs tremble as he rubbed hard circles on her clit. The nub was fully protruded now, the hood leaving it completely exposed to his ministrations.

"I can't! Please Tom!" Her whining increased exponentially as he hit the right spot in her over and over again while continuing his torment on her clit.

"Now pet. Come for me." He pinched her clit sharply and she came hard with a series of high cries. Her pussy clenched on his cock unbearably tight and milked his orgasm out of him. Holding her hips, he thrust into her slowly, drawing out the pleasure and letting her pussy milk him dry.

Their melded magic swirled around them, reminiscent of the night of their bonding. Tom felt it settle around them and he felt their joined strength in a way he hadn't in a long time.

Pulling out of her slowly, he released her bonds and pulled her against him. She was still panting heavily and he brushed a sweat soaked curl out of her face before pushing her head onto his chest. Tomorrow, he would begin training her in earnest now that their physical bond was reestablished. She needed to be ready for what he had planned but they had just taken an important step in strengthening their bond and sleeping together would solidify the step.

Hermione jumped up excitedly and she tore out of the library in search of the boys. Bursting into Ron and Harry's room, she waved the book she had in her hand.

"I found it! I know how to find Kaylee!"

The boys put down the cards for their game and rushed over to her.

"How?" Harry asked excitedly. It had been a week since they had agreed to a rescue and Hermione had been holed up in the library ever since trying to find a way to locate her.

As Hermione outlined her plan, the boys began to smile. It was brilliant. The evil bastard wouldn't know what hit him.

"Tomorrow then. We go get her tomorrow."


	17. Chapter 17

Kaylee laid down the newspaper she had been reading on the ever growing stack next to the couch. Lazily petting Shadow, who had decided to use her as a pillow, she closed her eyes for a break. Tom had been gone for most of the evening after he had worked her hard in the dueling room for most of the day. After a wonderful hot shower to relax her muscles, she settled in their room to continue reading the last few decades worth of newspapers.

Although not always a reliable source of information, it would at least give her some context on what she had missed. Skimming through most until an article sparked her interest; Kaylee had already progressed to the 1990s where she was able to compare what she remembered to the new timeline. The differences were large and it was becoming increasingly difficult to not become overwhelmed.

Tom had returned from his travels in the 1970s and began working in the Ministry. From there it appeared he progressed in rank quickly over the years and gained influential positions as a result. She supposed his followers assisted in his progress considering many of them held Wizamgot and department positions. Interestingly enough, he had not made Minister of Magic yet despite his long career in the ministry. _Dumbledore's doing_ , she supposed. Her old headmaster had taken the same positions he had had in her timeline which would have given him leverage to prevent Tom from taking the title of Minister.

The overall impression Kaylee had gained so far was that Tom was actually fairly well liked, or he intimidated the newspaper into printing what he wanted, and the legislation he had pushed through so far had been received well. Dumbledore's strategy in this timeline was to advocate against Tom as gaining too much power rather than a rising Dark Lord. Although he _was_ a dark lord, Tom's public persona hid the fact rather well from what she had gained from the papers. He had merely been labeled a rising star in the ministry that was destined to become minister. Dumbledore and his supporters were the only ones who opposed him and their numbers were much smaller than her timeline. She was sure that his followers were aware however of his dark tendencies and did not escape his punishments if needed.

Kaylee was curious to see what policies Tom was planning on enacting in the future. _Most_ of his past legislation that she had read was actually pretty tame from what she remembered. The only point of contention she had were his ideas on Muggleborns and Muggles. According to the latest papers, Tom had strong ideas about what to do with the topic and they were currently being pushed through the Wizamgot. She could see why Dumbledore and the Order still opposed Tom based on what she had read.

Tom had used her ideas for integrating Muggleborns into magical society rather than ostracizing them but the way he went about it was incredibly harsh. It looked like he wanted to essentially force these children into the magical world regardless of the parent's feelings on the matter. They were to attend schooling from a very young age in the magical world before transferring to Hogwarts at 11. The children were allowed to live at home provided the parents agreed to the school. If they did not, the child was removed from the family, the parents were obliviated, and the child was placed into the care of the ministry. The basic idea behind the system was what she had suggested but the method was not one she would take. Although comparing his actions to _her_ timeline, it was a far better agenda for him to have.

She tilted her head back and sighed. She could see how Tom came to this conclusion based on their discussions but she could also understand why the Order was set on opposing him. Kaylee raised her hand up to look at the silver band around her finger. The bond she had made with Tom ensured her loyalty to him whether she liked it or not. She couldn't say that he didn't take her opinions into account because his current actions clearly showed he had listened to her. But that didn't negate her feelings of friendship and empathy for the other side. She didn't want to see any more people getting hurt but getting the two sides to lay down arms…

She jerked up at a loud crash coming from the bathroom. Shadow leapt to his feet in front of her with a low growl. What was that?!

Kaylee drew her wand slowly, _no one_ should be able to get through Tom's wards. She would know, she had been prodding the darn things for days.

The door flew open and her eyes widened as she took in the Golden Trio and the Weasley twins tumbling out of the bathroom, wands drawn.

"Kaylee!" Hermione rushed over to her as the boys looked around the room.

Kaylee wrapped her arms around the other girl hesitantly, a little unsure of what was happening.

"How did you get in here?!" she asked, gripping Shadow's ruff firmly to prevent him from lunging at the intruders.

"That's not important right now." Hermione said as she grabbed Kaylee's hand, dragging her into the middle of the circle the boys had made. "We came to rescue you, we can talk more once you're safe away from here."

Kaylee felt a prickle of alarm at the girl's words and the bond shivered in response. Faintly, she felt Tom focus on the disturbance and she felt anger and worry pouring through from his end.

"I can't…" Before she could finish her sentence, Hermione had thrust a small gold coin into her hand while the boys each placed a hand on her body. A swift tug at her navel and she was portkeyed away.

* * *

Tom tapped his finger in annoyance as he listened to the weekly reports. He had allowed his followers more leeway than usual this week. He had spent most of his days training Kaylee and strengthening their bond which meant reports had piled up. Luckily, the Order had been quiet after the skirmish at Hogwarts, allowing him time to focus on other areas. With Dumbledore gone, the numbers in the resistance had faded drastically. They consisted now of his most devout followers but had very little sway in the ministry, making his job easier.

"The vote will be held next week My Lord and it is expected to pass with little resistance." Malfoy drew his report to a close. He had been tasked with ensuring the Muggleborn Schooling Act would pass at the next Wizamgot meeting. The current intel showed only Potter and Longbottom would vote against the act after the Order had lost the skirmish at Hogwarts. He nodded with satisfaction. Once the act was pushed through, current Minister Fudge would graciously step down and relinquish the office to Lord Voldemort. By next week, he would hold the ministry in an iron fist and the Order would either bow or perish.

"Severus, how are the restorations at Hogwarts progressing?" Tom asked the man at his left side.

"Almost all of the damage has been repaired My Lord. I believe everything will be completed for the fall term. The wards are still fluctuating however and still need more time to stabilize."

"I will fix the wards tomorrow. Have you finalized the staff?"

Snape shook his head. "I would like to speak to you My Lord in private regarding the matter. There have been…difficulties in finding those that possess the right skills."

Tom snorted internally. Finding competent individuals to fill the teaching positions was going to be difficult. Most of his followers did not possess the skills or knowledge for such an occupation and Severus had almost as high as standards as himself.

Before he could reply, he felt a shift in his bond with Kaylee. He focused on it immediately and felt alarm and concern coming from her. Shifting his focus to the wards around his manor, he felt a slight tremor indicating a breach. Anger suffused him and he disapparated on the spot, leaving behind startled looks from his inner council.

As soon as he arrived, Tom knew that Kaylee was no longer there. A large dark shape hurtled into his legs and he almost let loose a curse until he realized it was a distraught Shadow. Absentmindedly patting the wolf, he focused internally on their bond. Kaylee's side remained quiet which indicated she was not in pain or in danger but the muted feel meant she was located somewhere that was extremely well protected. Maybe almost as much as the manor was.

He growled and disapparated back to Malfoy Manor.

"Severus. Walden." He barked to the two men. They rose immediately from the council table and followed him into the adjoining study. He waved a hand as he closed the door for the other members to leave. Throwing up strong privacy wards, he paced to the window and looked out into the darkness.

"The Order has abducted my wife from the manor." His voice was low and quiet. He heard both men shift uneasily behind him.. They knew from his tone of voice that he was way past anger at this point. He turned around to look at the two men.

"You will find her immediately and bring her back. If she is not returned in 24 hours, I will tear apart every Order safe house until she is found."

Tom was well aware of the locations of safe houses the Order used. He had not made a move on them yet out of respect for his bondmate. After he gained the ministry next week, he was going to offer one last chance of amnesty to the Order members but their actions today had changed his lenient plan. If they did not return Kaylee, he would slaughter them all. _No one_ would take her from him again.

* * *

Without glancing at McNair, Severus swept through the entrance of the manor and apparated directly to Grimmauld Place.

 _Damn it!_ He thought. This was a disaster. He had _warned_ them not to interfere with the matter but of course they wouldn't listen to him. He almost felt like stepping back and letting the Order deal with the consequences of their actions.

Stepping into the house, Severus stopped at the chaotic display. Loud voices could be heard from every floor of the house and people were streaming up and down the stairs in front of him.

He grabbed Auror Tonks arm who was about to head up the stairs.

"Where is she?" His voice was little more than a growl by this point, the anger in him barely contained.

Tonks looked up at him startled and yanked her arm out of his hold.

"I assume you mean Miss Smith. She is upstairs with Minerva and several other Order members. We had to ward the room even more than the house in case he had some sort of way to track her."

With a dark scowl, Severus swept up the stairs. Without bothering to knock, he slammed open the door, startling the room's occupants. Kaylee was sitting on a weathered brown couch with her arms wrapped around her torso. Her eyes shot to his immediately with a pleading look.

"Severus!" Minerva exclaimed, "There's no need to slam in here!"

He looked at her incredulously. "I do apologize Minerva. The Dark Lord promising to terminate every Order member, especially the idiotic dunderheads that executed this scheme, unless his wife is returned within 24 hours does not warrant slamming by any means." His dry tone and words caused the hackles to rise of the three Marauders in the room.

"Just because you didn't have the guts to rescue the girl, Snivellus…" Before Sirius could finish, Minerva cut him off.

"Honestly, you are grown men, start acting like it!" she snapped at Sirius and Severus. "Yes, the children acted impulsively but Miss Smith is here now and we have the opportunity to find out what she knows and just maybe figure out what _he_ has done to her and just maybe help escape him."

A small incredulous laugh from the couch had everyone turning to Kaylee.

"Is something amusing?" Severus asked her. The girl had been silent during their exchange until Minerva's comments. She looked and sounded…resigned.

* * *

"I will never be free of him Professor. Our connection is too strong." She looked up at her old Potions Master beseechingly. Kaylee did _not_ want to discuss her bond with Tom but if it would convince them to release her…she would not be responsible for their deaths if she could help it.

"Miss Smith," Remus Lupin's gentle voice had her turning to look at him as he knelt next to her, "how are you connected to him? Marriages can be dissolved and most bonds…"

She looked down at her hands, not wanting to see what emotions her explanation would wrought.

"It is not a normal bond Professor. It was created at a time that made it inexplicably strong and…"she took a deep breath, "it bound us together in a way that we will never be separated. Not just physically," she stumbled over the word with a slight blush, "but our _magics_ were melded together to become one force."

She glanced up at the sharp intake of breath from Professor Snape. The rest looked confused and…pityingly but only Snape had the look of someone who truly understood what she was trying to convey.

"I don't understand," James Potter said with a glance at Minerva, "how can your magic be melded together?"

Kaylee held the eyes of the Potions Master as he replied. "It is an archaic type of bond that has rarely been used due to its…exacting demands. Needless to say Miss Smith is correct in that those entering into such a bond will not have the option to dissolve it but in return, will gain much including the ability to draw upon each other's strength."

She watched as everyone else exchanged horrified glances. "You mean he can use Kaylee's magic for himself and become even stronger?" Minerva's voice shook with the implication. Everyone knew that Tom was an incredibly strong wizard but to have the option to gain even more was…

"It is not quite as simple as adding her strength to his. Each person's magic has strengths or weaknesses to it, their bond will amplify the strengths of each and make them stronger as a result. Due to his…meddling in the Dark Arts, the Dark Lord will not be as affected in a negative way due to Miss Smith's presence within his magic. The stabilizing effect from having someone who is essentially light will keep him in balance regardless of what type of magic he performs."

As the others discussed Snape's words, Remus turned back to Kaylee.

"You cannot be alright with this; he must have forced you into it." His concern showed through his eyes.

She studied him a little sadly. "The world is not black and white Remus. The bond could only be formed if both parties are willing…I had my reasons for doing so and will uphold the promises I made, just as he will because he must."

"What possible reasons could you have to enter into such an arrangement? You are a Muggleborn, you cannot support his actions and policies." He kept his voice quiet so the others weren't drawn to their conversation but the slight outrage was present.

She sighed. "I do not support everything he has done, I know his methods are harsh and I have made my opinions known but…it could have been so much worse…trust me, I _know_ it could have been."

Before she could continue, Severus' voice broke into their conversation. "What do you mean you know?" He was looking at her intently, his dark eyes darting between her green ones.

"I…I cannot tell you that." Time travel was sensitive at best and the fact that she had _altered_ it…well, that information could not be shared lightly. If anyone got a hold of how Tom had sent her back…she couldn't allow the timeline to be meddled with again, who knew what sort of damage could be wrought.

"You can't or won't?" Sirius asked. Apparently Severus' question had brought everyone's attention back to her.

"Both." Kaylee said firmly. Tom had informed her that their bond would protect her mind to an incredible degree from penetration so she wasn't worried about any attempts at Legilimency and she was _not_ going to discuss this topic with anyone here.

"Miss Smith," Minerva's tone had firmed, "we are trying to help you but we cannot do that unless you are honest. If you have information that could help us, we _will_ find out." Kaylee shrank back into the couch.

The atmosphere in the room had changed suddenly. NO longer was she the prior student that needed protecting but rather an informant that had information on the other side of a war.

"He has not told me any of his plans for the Order or anything else with the ministry. As to how I know it could be worse…" Kaylee thought furiously, she couldn't reveal her time travel, but maybe she could plant the seed to get the Order to see Tom's way may not be as bad as they think.

"Yes, his methods are harsh but at least he is trying to incorporate Muggleborns into our society. He could have simply tried to hunt us down and kill us or turn us into slaves or something equally horrible. It may not be your idea of unifying the magical community but it is better than many alternatives I could name."

"He is talking about _taking_ children from their families and erasing all knowledge of their existence if they don't cooperate. And then, he is sending them to so called _schools_ where they will be brainwashed into his way of thinking!" James' voice had risen in anger. "Not to mention he has been set on killing my son his entire life just because he fit the parameters of some prophecy! Not the type of actions of a good man!"

Kaylee blanched at his harsh tone but pushed on regardless.

"Yes it is harsh but at least he isn't planning on just _killing_ the parents. There are so many good things that can come out of having Muggleborns be integrated earlier. They will learn about our society from a young age and not feel like freaks or have doctors prod them to determine what's wrong with them because the parents hadn't been informed of magic until age 11! _Supportive_ parents will be able to stay in their children's lives and understand what type of world their child is entering and those who can't handle their child's abilities…well, maybe we can avoid abusive parents that resent their child or abuse them for their magic."

Kaylee glared at James. "Furthermore, from what I understand, he has _never_ specifically targeted Harry unless it was orchestrated for them to meet by Dumbledore. If he really believed in the stupid prophecy, don't you think he would have come to your house and killed you and Harry when he was still just a baby? Before he could become an adult that would be able to challenge him?!"

Although unfair to use her knowledge of what happened in her timeline, she wanted to emphasize that at least they had not been killed or targeted. Harry got to grow up with two loving parents this time…that alone made her jump back in time worth it.

"He's brainwashed her…done something to her that would make her agree with the git!" Sirius glared at Kaylee. "Snape, can't you just get the information we need out of her head? I think she knows more than she's letting on."

Distrust after her tirade showed on his and James' faces. Minerva and Remus looked a little shocked at her outburst, considering her normal quiet demeanor, but at least there wasn't hostility there. Snape was still looking at her with a blank expression.

"Sirius! I will not allow Severus to invade her mind just because you don't like what she has said! I believe we need to call a meeting to discuss what to be done about Miss Smith and tell them what she has said. We are losing, Sirius, at least Kaylee can provide us a different view point."

A shift in the bond caught Kaylee's attention. It had been unusually quiet since she had arrived. Before Hermione had left her to the care of those present, she had whispered that the room was heavily warded so _he_ couldn't find her. She had assumed it was muting the bond but knew Tom would break the wards eventually, she just hadn't anticipated quite so soon.

She looked up quickly when a burst of satisfaction shivered through the bond. Snape had stepped out while she was occupied with the bond and the others were arguing loudly. Abruptly, Sirius turned with his wand pointed at her.

"I will not allow her to threaten the Order and especially my godson. If Snivellus won't do it, then I will get the information out of her."

She shrank back at the determination and hostility in his eyes. She didn't have a wand; there was no way to protect herself.

Before he could cast, a shift in the wards caught everyone's attention as Tom swirled in next to her in a whirl of black smoke with his wand pointed directly at Sirius.


	18. Chapter 18

Curses and hexes began to fly everywhere. Kaylee dove behind the couch, without a wand she couldn't do anything, even protect herself from stray spells. Tom gave her a quick glance before turning his attention back to the others.

Tom's wand flashed faster than she could track, throwing incredibly dark curses at the Order members. The full weight of their bond slammed into her when he appeared in the room and she could feel his rage coursing through him. He was _furious_ regarding her abduction but most was targeted at Sirius. She assumed that Black had inadverntetly triggered her protection oath with Tom and he had been able to find her as soon as Sirius pointed his wand at her.

It became clear quickly that the other four in the room were no match for Tom. An occasional offensive curse was fired at him but mostly Kaylee saw shields being held when she peeked from behind the couch. She thought quickly, she didn't want anyone hurt because of her despite Sirius' intentions of interrogating her. She knew he was acting this way out of love for his family and friends. There had to be a way to stop the fight before anyone got hurt. She could see the others edging to the door; their shields were losing strength rapidly as Tom fired spell after spell.

The only option she had was to try and get Tom's attention, although with the anger still raging through him…it seemed unlikely he would listen to her. But she had to try, she could hear pounding on the other side of the door. Tom must have warded the room the minute he apparated in. Kaylee could vaguely hear Harry's voice yelling in the background.

Crouching low, she moved to the side of the couch where Tom was closest too. Taking a deep breath, she flung herself towards him at the same time a stray hex veered in her direction. Colliding into his side, Kaylee used his robes as leverage to pull herself up into a standing position on the couch next to him.

"Tom! Please don't hurt them, just take me and go!" She practically yelled into his ear. With the duel going on, a whisper wasn't going to cut it.

He didn't even glance in her direction, merely pushed her behind him and held her there with a steel like arm.

Growling when she saw a sharp gash appear on Minerva's arm, Kaylee pushed at his arm strongly and accidently tumbled off the couch onto the floor in front of him from the momentum, placing her in the middle of the crossfire.

Before she could scramble away, excruciating pain engulfed her as a stray curse hit her in the abdomen. She gasped in pain and looked down to see blood pouring from her stomach. Placing her hand on the wound, she pressed tightly and tried to rise.

* * *

Tom felt her pain the second the curse hit her. The absolute rage that had fogged his vision cleared immediately at his bondmate's distress. He threw up a strong dome shield and dropped to his knees next to Kaylee. Her eyes were glazed with pain and blood was leaking through the hand she had pressed over the wound.

He needed to get her to a healer immediately. Casting a temporary congealing spell on her, the outflow of blood slowed to a trickle. Tom picked her up in his arms bridal style and gritted his teeth at her moan of pain.

The door finally burst open as those outside broke through his wards. He hadn't had time to cast anything stronger when he arrived. Harry Potter and his sidekicks stormed through the door with wands raised. The Granger girl gasped when she saw Kaylee's condition and held Harry back from throwing any more spells in his direction.

As he apparated away, he spotted Black hunched over in pain from one of Tom's hexes. A sliver of satisfaction ran through him at the sight but was quickly washed away with concern for his mate.

Once he arrived back in their bedroom, He lay Kaylee down gently on the bed. Flicking his wand, he drew the dark mark in the air and summoned Severus and Walden. Kaylee was starting to shiver, loss of blood causing her body temperature to drop quickly. He waved his wand over the wound assessing what curse had hit her.

Anger suffused him when he read the results. Bloody hypocrites! Opposing him because he used Dark Magic and they resort to the same thing when attacking him! With a growl, he released the spell and cast a warming charm and a stasis spell over her. This was not his area of expertise and he didn't want to give her any potions until the curse had been lifted but he could prevent the curse from spreading any farther.

Kaylee had fallen unconscious as soon as he laid her down on the bed and he gently brushed her hair back. The bond had dulled again with the stasis spell to the point where he could barely feel her. When the door opened, he straightened quickly and turned to the two men.

"Walden, fetch me a trustworthy healer immediately and bring them here. My wife has been injured. I have lifted the antiapparation ward so you can bring them directly here."

The man nodded curtly with a stony expression and disapparated away immediately.

Severus had meanwhile approached the bed and pulled out his wand. Tom gave him a nod and the Potions Master began casting diagnostic spells.

"She was hit with the deperditionem fortitudinis." Tom's voice was cold with fury. He wanted to kill every last Order member for this but he couldn't leave Kaylee in this condition, the bond wouldn't allow it.

"Once the healer has lifted the curse, I will be able to administer several potions that will help her recover My Lord but she will still have a recovery period." Severus' voice was even but Tom could see slight anger in the man's eyes.

The bleeding had finally stopped but Kaylee's skin was pale and she was still shivering despite numerous warming spells. The bond was practically vibrating with his anger and he could feel Kaylee's magic was trying to respond despite her comatose state. Knowing she needed to remain calm, he placed a hand on her forehead and focused on melding their magics completely to calm her agitated state.

Her magic immediately swirled around his in beautiful song, soothing the edges of his anger and allowing their magics to calm. He breathed deeply at the feeling; even asleep she had the ability to do this. Tom redirected the flow to wrap around her magical core. He placed a protective shield around it to ensure the curse would not reach it. If left unattended, the dark curse would seep into every muscle, organ, and eventually a person's magic; seeping away strength wherever it touched until the person faded away into death. He had always found this particular curse too mild a punishment and had preferred other, more painful curses but now that it had been used on Kaylee…well, it was now topping the list of curses he despised.

The pop of apparition had Tom opening his eyes although he kept his hand on Kaylee's forehead. The physical contact was helping to stabilize her condition and he would continue it despite his audience.

"My lord, Healer Flint specializes in heavy curse damage and has had a great deal of experience during his tenure," Walden said, introducing the healer he had brought with him.

Tom motioned the healer forward.

"I trust you will use the utmost discretion on what you see and do here." Tom's voice was even but the underlying threat was there. His glance in the healer's direction revealed an older man with greying hair and slight wrinkles in the face but he had the Flint family stature; tall, well toned muscles, and a stoic expression. The family was known for its members to have implacable natures, very little could rattle their equilibrium and this man proved no different.

"Of course My Lord, I have the utmost respect for my client's privacy." His tone was even. Without even glancing in Tom's direction, he had begun casting diagnostic spells.

"I placed her in a stasis charm after identifying the deperditionem fortitudinis curse. Severus will provide any potions you may need."

Healer Flint nodded.

"The damage was not extensive due to how quickly you stopped its progress My Lord. It should be fairly easy to remove and I can give Headmaster Snape a list of potions that will aid her recovery. However, because she was struck in the abdomen where many vital organs are placed, she will need to refrain from phsycial activity and magic use for probably a month. I will of course be willing to provide periodic check ups to ensure her recovery is progressing smoothly."

Tom dipped his head in acknowledgement. The prognosis was close to what he had expected although the recovery time was a little longer than he had anticipated.

"Some patients have a magical outburst after a stasis spell is removed. If anyone would like to leave the room before I remove it, leave now."

"I will ensure an outburst does not occur." Tom noticed Flint glanced at the hand on Kaylee's forehead.

"My Lord, it is not recommended to have outside magical interference during this type of procedure." The healer glanced at the other two men who had remained by Kaylee's side. Their stoic expressions showed they were not concerned about the matter.

"I know what I am doing healer, continue."

Flint gave Tom a scrutinizing glance before nodding slowly.

"If you are sure My Lord, I will begin."

* * *

Perrin Flint took a deep breath, he hoped the Dark Lord knew what he was doing. Bracing his magic, he released the stasis spell and was shocked when he felt no fluctuations in the woman's magic. A quick glance at the Dark Lord showed he had not taken his gaze off of his wife nor removed his hand from her forehead. Whatever connection the two had, it had allowed the Dark Lord to maintain control over her magic.

Turning his gaze back to his patient, he sunk his magic through the open wound, tracing the curse to its origin. Finding the black mass quickly, he weaved a lattice around it, drawing the tendrils that had begun to expand back to their beginning. Once the curse was contained, he slowly began to draw the mass out through the open wound. He had to move agonizingly slow to ensure the curse would not fight its removal any more than necessary.

The two men across from him moved quickly to hold her body down as she began to thrash from the pain. Perrin noticed little of this as he focused on drawing the last tendril out of the wound. As soon as it was free, he weaved his lattice tighter and tighter until the curse was strangled out of existence.

Turning back to his patient, he wiped the sweat from his face and hastily closed the wound on her stomach. Casting diagnostics, he was glad to see that every remnant of the curse was removed and had not impacted any organ too heavily. The girl had fallen back asleep once the curse had been taken out and seemed to be sleeping calmly. The Dark Lord removed his hand from her forehead slowly and gave a nod in Perrin's direction.

"I can administer a blood replenishing potion and pain reliever potion now My Lord and coordinate with Healer Flint with anything else he recommends." Perrin nodded in Snape's direction that the two potions would be fine.

"Her stomach lining was weakened and she sustained a small amount of damage to her right kidney and large intestine. The most effective method to repair the organs is to spell a diluted strengthening potion directly to each organ every day until they have repaired themselves naturally. I have found direct intervention of magical means to be less effective."

The headmaster nodded. "I agree My Lord. I can brew what the healer recommends and deliver the potion to My Lady each day."

"And what of her recovery?" The Dark Lord's voice revealed nothing of his thoughts.

"I would recommend three weeks My Lord to ensure each organ is functioning properly again. Until then, she should avoid strenuous physical and magical activity. Walking would be a good form of exercise until then. She should also avoid heavier foods like red meat, breads, and alcohol until her stomach has recovered. I can provide acceptable foods if you desire."

"You will provide weekly check ups to ensure she is progressing I her recovery. Walden will collect you every Friday at 5pm."

The Dark Lord whipped his wand out and grabbed Perrin's arm. Placing the wand's tip into his arm, a silver snake appeared on the skin and then sank into it.

"This will allow me to summon you if needed."

Perrin forced himself to maintain a calm expression. "Of course My Lord."

Without a backwards glance, the Dark Lord strolled back to the bed and began conversing with the headmaster who had come back into the room a minute ago.

Perrin was startled out of his thoughts when McNair touched his arm, indicating it was time to leave.

* * *

"Your assistance today proved your loyalty yet again Severus." Tom said with his gaze trained on his bondmate. "I will allow you access to the manor so you can deliver the potion."

Tom looked up at the dark man next to him. "Do not betray my trust in this."

The Potions Master gave a slight bow and left the room.

Tom removed his outer robes and climbed into the bed next to Kaylee. Pulling her into his arms gently, he reached out his magic and assessed his bondmate. Her magic easily melded with his at the physical contact and her body felt relaxed in sleep. The fatigue weighed on her mind and body so he weaved their joined magic into a soothing melody that allowed her to slip into a more deep sleep.

As much as he wanted to wipe out every Order member for daring to hurt his bondmate, he felt the bond anchoring him by her side. Although out of danger, the close call was enough to keep him in place until she awoke.


	19. Chapter 19

**Author's note: I am so sorry for the long delay. We are in the process of moving...again...and I have had severe writer's block on top of it all! I hope this chapter gives you a little lemony goodness and a little romance to brighten your day. Your reviews always make my day brighter in return!**

Kaylee's eyes fluttered open slowly. The afternoon sun lit the room, giving it a golden hue while warming the bed. Her mind felt sluggish but trickles of what had happened came back to her in a steady stream. She gasped and a hand flew to her stomach when she remembered the gushing blood and pain from whatever curse she was hit with.

A strong hand gripped hers tightly and her eyes flew to meet Tom's dark ones.

"It's alright pet, the curse was lifted and the wound was healed last night."

His voice was even as he sat on the bed next to her, still holding her hand.

"I feel…" She cleared her throat, her voice sounded scratchy from disuse. "I feel weak and…achy?"

Her voice trailed off as she turned her attention to her body. Her muscles felt like she had run for miles and hadn't had time to recover.

"You will feel this way for some time. Although the curse was removed, it still caused damage to your body. You will have to take things slowly for the next few weeks until you regain your strength."

Kaylee accepted the glass of water he offered her and observed him over the rim. He was maintaining a blank expression but his eyes betrayed his agitated state.

"If I was healed, why are you upset?" She asked in a quiet voice.

Tom immediately stiffened and the grip on her hand tightened.

"I have not been able to address the Order's actions regarding your abduction because our _bond_ will not allow me to leave your side while you were injured. Additionally, your absence for two days and the injury has put a great deal of strain on the bond which has not been pleasant to deal with. I have not spoken with any of my followers except for Severus and Walden because my temper has been extremely volatile."

Although his tone was even, Kaylee could hear the anger coursing through. And maybe a little…concern for her? She could feel his magic rolling through the room in dark waves; it felt agitated and uncontrollable. Concentrating, she allowed her magic to meet with his despite her weariness. Immediately, his magic shifted and literally crashed into hers; melding with it instantaneously. Jerking slightly at the collision, she directed the flow to soothe the frayed edges of the dark waves.

"You shouldn't strain yourself pet."

She felt him try to withdraw from the bond but she held fast.

"Please, I need this. I…I couldn't feel you at all in that room they put me in and it was terrible. An emptiness inside me that couldn't be filled."

Her eyes filled with tears. Between the empty feeling, the interrogation, and getting hurt; Kaylee could feel herself losing control of her emotions. She had been terrified that someone would get hurt during the fight and then when she was hit…the pain had been overwhelming.

Their melded magic swirled around her as he brushed a tear away with his thumb. Holding her teary eyes with his own, he said, "I have lived with that emptiness for decades until you returned to fill the void. To have you taken away again…I will not allow this to happen again."

She shuddered at his words. She couldn't imagine living with that emptiness for so long. The bond was not something she would have chosen but now that it was there, it was difficult to imagine life without it…without _him_. It was a testament to his strength that he had been able to endure the pain for so long.

She tightened her hand around his at the thought. Kaylee knew she would not have been able to survive such a long separation, only two days of it and she had been ready to break. As much as she didn't wish harm on any of the Order, she could understand his actions against them in this instance. It had been painful to be separated from him in such a manner and it would have been a natural reaction of Tom to lash out at whoever had caused the pain.

"I have no wish to be separated from you again Tom." She told him in a soft voice. Taking a deep breath, she met his gaze. "Although it wasn't long by your standards, it forced me to confront the reality and depth of our connection…" She swallowed and glanced down at their entwined hands; she had not wished to be so intimately connected with him in the beginning but her reflection had revealed things to her that she needed to share.

"I…I know you do not care for such emotions, I realized the pain it would cause me if we were to be separated…and not just in regards to the bond."

He tilted her head up to meet his gaze, sliding a hand into her soft brown hair.

"Tell me pet." His voice was quiet and his eyes held hers intently.

"I…I love you Tom." Her voice was shaky but she continued anyways. "I know you don't put much stock into the concept of love but I needed you to know that the bond is not the only motivation for me to remain with you. I only ask you not mock me for this."

She had pulled back as much as his hand would allow, hoping to see any sort of response from him. Kaylee knew that Tom did not return the sentiment but she fervently hoped that he had enough respect for her to not use the admission for his own designs.

He studied her for a long moment before pressing a soft kiss to her forehead. He touched his forehead to hers and looked directly into her eyes.

"Little bondmate, I have had decades to analyze our connection and your place by my side. Do you truly believe I would not come to the same conclusion as you have by now?"

She searched his dark eyes for any hint of teasing or malice but all she found was sincerity. Their magic was swirling around them now, reminiscent of their bonding night. A soft glow emanated from both of their bodies and she took a shuddering breath.

"You…you love me?" She asked, her voice breathy with hope and a tinge of incredulousness.

"Yes little one. My teenage self did not have the maturity or insight to determine _why_ he needed such a deep connection with you but it became clear to me over the years as to the true motivation behind the bond and why your counsel held such sway over me even decades later."

Tears fell from her eyes again at his words. She leaned forward and brushed her lips against his, taking the initiative for the first time since their relationship began.

Shifting closer, Kaylee traced his lips with her tongue in a silent plea for entrance. She felt herself being pushed back into the pillows as he opened to grant her access. He took control of the kiss as his hands tangled into her hair, tilting her head to allow a better angle. He settled between her thighs and Kaylee felt his hard length between them.

The weariness that had been plaguing her left in an instant as he grinded against her core. She moaned into the kiss and traced her hands down his clothed back. The glow on their skin intensified as he waved their clothes away with a brush of his hand. The power behind his actions had her shuddering in pleasure and she wrapped one leg around his waist to pull him closer.

Tom was usually dominant in the bedroom but today he was gentle and loving in his caresses. Placing kisses along her jaw and down her throat, his hands traced her body slowly. She gasped when his fingers brushed across her nipples and skimmed to the underside of her breasts. She could feel herself growing even wetter at his actions.

"Please Tom, I need to feel you inside me." Her voice was a low moan as he took a nipple into his mouth, sucking the pink nub and swirling it with his tongue.

He huffed a small laugh as he pulled away. He brushed a finger across her clit before dipping into her wet heat.

"Ready for me already pet?" His voice held amusement but when she met his eyes, she could see he was pleased at her reactions.

"Always." And it was true, no matter what stage their relationship had been at, she had always enjoyed his attentions. But today held special meaning and they both knew it.

Without breaking eye contact, he slowly slid into her. She shuddered at the pleasurable feeling; she could feel every inch of him as he entered her and it felt as if he could touch every part of her. Once he was fully seated, he took her mouth in another kiss, tongues slipping together slowly.

Kaylee threaded her fingers through his hair while enjoying the closeness she felt at being so intimately connected. He broke the kiss off to lean his forehead against hers again with his eyes closed. Their magic responded to the quiet moment by stilling its movements to create a cocoon around them. A shimmering silver wall separated them from the rest of the world.

Tom opened his eyes after a few moments and locked with hers again before finally beginning to move. Small sounds of pleasure escaped her but they were quiet. Neither of them spoke, not wanting to disrupt the stillness around them.

His thrusts were slow and even, allowing her to feel every movement, every twitch of him inside her. In return, she could sense through the bond that he could fell every hot pulse her core made around him. He intertwined their hands together and placed them on either side of her head, using them as leverage to increase his speed.

She gasped softly when he hit that spot in her that always made her see stars. He angled his hips to hit that spot over and over as he trailed light kisses across her jaw and down her throat. Kaylee tilted her head back to allow him better access and trailed her hands through his hair.

No words came from Tom's thoughts but for a rare moment, he opened his emotions completely to Kaylee. She could feel the depth of his love and affection for her. The emotional waves were overwhelming in intensity but she greedily took it all, knowing this wouldn't be a common occurrence. Tom was not one to put his emotions on display but for this moment, there were no boundaries between them.

In return, Kaylee opened her mind completely so he too could feel her love. He shuddered above her as her emotions swept through his mind. Tom increased his pace, tightening his hands on hers. Opening her eyes, Kaylee looked up to see Tom's locked on hers. She squeezed her walls around him and he groaned in response.

He let go of her left hand and trailed his hand between them to draw circles on her clit that always drove her crazy.

"Come for me love, I want to feel you fall apart on my cock." His voice was deep and soft. His words tipped her over the edge of ecstasy and she felt him let go a few seconds later with a quiet groan.

His head collapsed onto her shoulder as they both shivered through the aftermath. The glow surrounding them and on their bodies slowly dissipated. Kaylee could feel the bond solidify even more after their declarations to each other, as if it had been waiting for them to make this move before becoming truly permanent.

She opened her eyes as Tom shifted off of her to lay at her side. Strong arms drew her against him firmly while one hand swept down her body in a gentle caress.

"Sleep pet, we can discuss what happened in the morning."

* * *

"Quiet!" Minerva yelled. The Order meeting had once again erupted into a shouting match about the previous day's events.

"Poppy is treating Siruis to the best of her abilities. She believes he will make a full recovery but it will take time. He was not the only one injured yesterday, we still have not heard any news regarding Kaylee's injury. Let alone what _he_ plans to do in response to the unfortunate incident. "

"Do you think he will withdraw his offer of amnesty because Kaylee was hurt?" Hermione asked Minerva. The chatter quieted to hear her answer.

"It has not been withdrawn at this time nor has he given any indication of doing so. However, based on his actions regarding Kaylee…we could expect retaliation if she does not recover."

Minerva could see most of the members nodding; many had come to the same conclusion after hearing about the disaster with Kaylee. Personally, she was livid with Sirius' actions against the girl, no matter what she knew, she was still a young adult that had recently been under their care. Threatening her had been foolish and she could have sworn that _he_ only showed up after the threat had been made.

Minerva was startled out of her thoughts when the door banged open and Severus swept through the doorway. Glaring at everyone in the room ( _typical, she rolled her eyes_ internally) he strode down the length of the table until he reached Minerva's side.

"Severus! What news have you?" He had alerted her last night that he had been called to assist with Kaylee, but nothing more. In fact, he had been unnervingly silent during the last day regarding the matter. She hadn't been sure he was even going to come to the meeting.

"The Dark Lord's wife will make a full recovery, albeit a slow one. Needless to say the Dark Lord was not pleased after yesterday's events but his…concern for his wife has kept him by her side rather than killing every last Order member."

He gave a pointed look to the young adults who made the rescue attempt.

"She awoke today and I was summoned to the Dark Lord. He has…asked me to deliver a message although I believe his wife had a large part to play in this matter."

Severus had a peculiar look on his face but Minerva was not able to examine further before he continued.

"His amnesty will be offered as planned until the end of the month next week. However…" He had to raise his voice to be heard over the startled exclamations, "the members who participated in the abduction, interrogation, and injury of his wife will be required to give a formal apology to the public and agree to do community service for a time period that he will assign each of you, based on your…crime against his family. If you accept, members will swear on their magic that they will not attempt any sort of revolutionary act against the Dark Lord again. You will then be free to engage in wizarding society again as productive members."

Minerva was shocked. This was very…lenient compared to what they had been discussing. The rest of the Order did appear to not know what to think either as stunned glances appeared across the room.

"Although it appears my advice is not heeded considering yesterday, I will only suggest you consider the offer carefully…it will not be offered again."

Minerva nodded slowly, that was to be expected. She could see the members had broken off into small groups to discuss the news. Harry looked angry at whatever his parents were telling him but Hermione was nodding along. The Weasleys had all gathered around the matriarch who Minerva assumed was informing them exactly what she expected them to do.

"I will not be coming back here Minerva."

She looked over at her colleague in surprise. His expression had a little regret but mostly he looked relieved and resigned simultaneously.

"He couldn't have found out about your role in the Order, you wouldn't be here otherwise."

He gave a huff of laughter and looked over the room's occupants before replying.

"He made it clear to me this morning that he has always known about my loyalties, but has allowed me to remain in place for his own purposes. I believe he knows this will end soon and decided that my role in his plan was no longer necessary."

He looked at Minerva with a closed expression.

"I was given a choice Minerva, the same one as you all face. Although I have questioned many things before now, yesterday's events along with a private conversation with Kaylee this morning led me to accept his offer. I have already resigned with the Board of Governors and will be working for the Ministry's experimental potions lab next month."

She knew he told this to her after the other members stopped listening because he knew she would not fly into a rage at his words or call him a traitor. Minerva studied her friend. She could see that his decision had lifted a weight off of his shoulders that had been there for many years.

"What did she say to you?" Out of all the things that Severus mentioned, his conversation with Kaylee stuck out for her.

Luna and Hermione had broken off their other conversations and had drifted over to hear what he would say.

He hesitated when he saw the younger women but whatever he saw in their countenances appeared to satisfy him.

"She told me a story. About a world far darker than our own, where Muggleborns were hunted down and there was battles and bloodshed throughout the country. She told me about a young girl who was forced to go on the run to avoid capture and torture because of her heritage before ending her journey at a large battle where a Dark Lord sent her to the past…to change history because even he could see the dark future he had created was wrong."

The women gasped at the implication he was making, Kaylee had been sent to the past by Voldemort himself?! Although the world Severus described was much darker than their own, the Order truly believed this was his end game. Could history really have changed to the point where Kaylee believed this timeline was so much better? Severus' voice interrupted Minerva's thoughts again.

"This girl fell in love with a boy from the past and convinced him to change the future for the better. Although not perfect, her influence has led him to ideas and policies that she believes will create a world far better than the one she came from."

Severus looked down at Luna.

"She has asked to see you if you wish. You will have to accept the amnesty first before the Dark Lord will allow it but she wanted me to let you know she misses your company keenly."

With a slight bow to the head, the Potions Master left the women to their thoughts as he swept out of the room.

The three looked at each other in silence, each one reviewing what they had learned. Luna was the one to break the moment first with a small smile.

"I have always trusted Kaylee's judgement, no need to stop now. If you'll excuse me, I have a best friend to see."


End file.
